Some devices used to help people suffering sleep apnoea have been recalled after health authorities warned their continued use could be dangerous.
The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) issued a product defect correction for several Philips Electronics CPAP, Bi-Level PAP devices and ventilator devices.
The sound abatement foam used in the devices may degrade and be ingested or inhaled by the user.
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https://twitter.com/VicGovDH/status/1411841920528121856?ref_src=twsrc%5EtfwThere is also the potential for the foam to emit certain chemicals.
The exposure to foam particles could cause headache, irritation, inflammation, respiratory issues, and possible toxic and carcinogenic effects.
But the Victorian Department of Health said anyone using the affected models should not "suddenly" stop as it could harm their health.
Sleep apnoea occurs when the walls of the throat come together while asleep, blocking off the airway.
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This causes people to stop breathing until their brain notices and sends a wake-up call.
People then wake and their airway opens before almost immediately going back to sleep.
This process can repeat hundreds of time each night, causing anyone suffering sleep apnoea to have broken sleep.
A list of the impacted products can be found here.
