Hundreds of people who use breathing machines were left struggling to breath comfortably at night due to the recent power cuts.
Sleep apnoea is a disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. People with sleep apnoea mostly use a so-called CPAP machine to deliver air pressure through a mask while they sleep. The machine’s pressure is greater than that of the surrounding air and is just enough to keep upper airway passages open, preventing apnea and snoring.
Without the machine, sufferers feel tired and, in the worst cases, can fall asleep during the day, potentially causing injuries.
Malta has faced a series of power cuts as temperatures exceeded 40°C in a week-long heatwave.
Michael Sant, 61, has been using the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine for 14 years, ever since he was diagnosed with sleep apnoea.
“I had a power cut on Wednesday night last week. I could not sleep. I ended up pacing around the house all night. Trying to sleep without the machine feels like someone is pressing down on your neck. It feels like being in a cage filled with water and you cannot breathe,” he said.
A 50-year-old woman, who preferred not to be named, said she had three sleepless nights due to the power cuts.
Trying to sleep without the machine feels like someone is pressing down on your neck. It feels like being in a cage filled with water and you cannot breathe
“I have been using the machine for over 10 years now because I suffer from sleep apnoea. I feel very tired when I don’t use it. The condition means you stop breathing for some time, then the body is burdened to restart, leaving you tired during the day. This can have an impact on your heart and in some cases it proved fatal. In my case, since I’m also obese, even lying down flat without it makes me breathless,” she said.
The woman said she tried to buy a small power system to run the machine but they were all sold out.
Consultant respiratory physician Martin Balzan said there are various machines people use at home to support their breathing.
One was the CPAP that assisted patients with sleep apnoea. In this case, spending a night or two without the machine will not be fatal but uncomfortable. The number of people using the CPAP machine in Malta ran into “a few thousands”, he said.
A few hundred others used ventilator machines called a BiPap to help with breathing. In case of a power cut, such machines usually come with a backup cylinder that lasts about six hours. If a person suspects the power cut will last longer, they should move to a relative or friend who has electricity. The same applied for patients who need a 24-hour oxygen machine concentrator.
To be on the safe side, he suggested patients purchase a UPS battery to help power the machines for longer in case of power cuts.