What You Need to Know About the Philips CPAP Machine Recall

If you suffer from obstructive sleep apnea, you likely rely on CPAP therapy to provide some reprieve. Without it, you may find yourself snoring heavily and waking up gasping for air in the middle of the night. As a result, you often feel tired and unrested as you go about your day.

Because your breathing equipment plays such an essential role in your sleep quality, you may be concerned to find out that it is deteriorating your health.

Phillips recently recalled products including sleep apnea machines and ventilators due to an increasing concern that a part of the machine can lead to cancer and further respiratory issues.

ApneaMed has everything you need to know regarding the recent Phillips recall to ensure you’re breathing easier and safely throughout the night. 

The Recall of Phillips PAP, CPAP & Ventilators

More than 3 million Philips Dreamstation PAP, CPAP, and ventilator devices are being recalled for containing foam components that may degrade over time. Because of this deterioration of the foam piece, the individual may be exposed to toxic fumes. 

The foam component may degrade into particles through everyday wear, creating particles entering the device’s air pathway. As a result, the individual ingests or inhales these particles. Repeated exposure to the toxic particles may lead the individual to experience respiratory issues, inflammation, nausea, and vomiting. It can also increase their risk of cancer.

No current cases of cancer have been reported by Phillips PAP, CPAP, and ventilator devices. Currently, individuals have only experienced nausea and inflammation in their respiratory tract. Additionally, no deaths have been recorded.

Now What?

If you own a recalled Phillips breathing device, there’s no need to panic. Phillips is working to create a replacement piece of foam for customers to resolve the issue with the degrading foam component. Before the replacement is released, the new piece will need to be approved by regulators. Phillips is also putting together a program to repair or replace the PAP, CPAP, and ventilator devices.

Phillips warns patients against stopping using the recalled CPAP devices right away, depending on their obstructive sleep apnea severity. The CPAP machine is providing you with the necessary air to keep your airway open throughout the night. Until you have your Phillips CPAP machine fixed or purchase a new device, it may be more dangerous to stop using it altogether. 

The toxins from the foam pad are released extremely slowly, meaning that it will be more dangerous to stop using your CPAP machine than to use the recalled breathing equipment.

If you have questions about whether you should discontinue using your Phillips Dreamstation breathing machine, refer to your sleep specialist, who can provide guidance.

ApneaMed Has the Breathing Equipment You Need

If you own a recalled Phillips PAP or CPAP device, you may need a new sleep apnea machine. Whether you’re looking for an upgrade to your existing equipment or need to replace your recalled device, ApneaMed has the breathing equipment you need.

The most common form of sleep apnea treatment is AutoPAP therapy. An AutoPAP machine offers both a continuous mode (otherwise known as CPAP) and an auto-adjusting mode, allowing you to determine which feels best for you. The auto-adjusting mode ensures you receive the ideal air pressure throughout the entire night, no matter the sleep stage or position you’re sleeping.