I am often asked the question, “What’s the difference between an automatic CPAP machine and a regular CPAP machine?”, so in the following paragraphs I’ll set out to explain the main differences.
First I’ll say that I’ve always wondered why many people in the industry have a tendency to call an automated CPAP machine something apart from what it is – an automatic CPAP machine. You will frequently hear people call these sorts of machines APAP machines or Auto-PAP machines. In my opinion this is caused by a misunderstanding from the 睡眠窒息症. CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, indicating that air pressure is going to be delivered continuously through the sleeping cycle. The phrase CPAP, however, doesn’t imply that the continuously delivered air will likely be at a constant pressure. Therefore, the appropriate term for a CPAP machine which automatically adjusts the stress setting according to your needs is automatic CPAP machine.
A CPAP machine is designed to blow air through your partially obstructed airway so that you can eliminate the obstruction and to let you breathe normally. What many people call “regular” CPAP machines do this by blowing air with a constant pressure through the entire night, whether or not you’re experiencing an apnea – or cessation of breathing – or not.
An automatic CPAP machine does not use a constant pressure. Rather, the equipment is designed to sense your breathing through the use of a pressure feedback device. When the machine senses you happen to be breathing well, the delivered pressure will be lower. On the contrary, once the machine senses you’re not breathing well – that is, when it senses an apnea, hypopnea or snoring – the delivered pressure is going to be higher.
Since most people with sleep apnea breathe normally for around some portion of the night, it stands to reason that the constant pressure is generally unnecessary for effective CPAP therapy. Automatic CPAP machines deliver approximately 40% less pressure throughout the course of an evening in contrast to a CPAP machine which offers a constant pressure. This reduced pressure really helps to increase patient comfort and compliance and makes CPAP therapy more tolerable for brand new CPAP users.
If your prescribed pressure setting is fairly low – under 10 cm H2O – the key benefit of a computerized CPAP machine will not be the reduced average pressure, nevertheless it may simply be that you don’t have to worry about adjusting your pressure setting down the road. An automated CPAP machine virtually guarantees you may be getting optimal CPAP therapy irrespective of modifications in your condition.
Similar to most CPAP machines, automatic CPAP machines are created to deliver air pressure between 4 cm H2O and 20 cm H2O. During the initial setup of the machine the minimum and maximum pressures is going to be set. Usually the default setting of 4 cm H2O because the minimum pressure and 20 cm H2O as the maximum pressure is utilized. However, should your prescribed pressure setting is well above 10 cm H2O then enhancing the minimum pressure may make sense. I would personally almost always recommend making use of the default minimum and maximum pressure settings because these settings will allow for your maximum average pressure reduction and also the highest amount of patient comfort.
Yet another excellent benefit from automatic CPAP machines is the fact they’re really two machines in just one. You have a CPAP machine which adjusts pressure automatically, and you obtain a machine which is often set to offer a jfsqgg pressure just like a regular CPAP machine. This flexibility in functionality is alluring to many CPAP users, especially to individuals who are using CPAP equipment the first time.
There are two varieties of obstructive sleep apnea – central and obstructive. Central obstructive sleep apnea occurs due to a dysfunction within the thalamus area of the brain, while obstructive sleep apnea occurs as a result of an obstructed airway. CPAP machines are made to open the airway for patients that suffer from obstructive obstructive sleep apnea, but CPAP machines may have no impact on central obstructive sleep apnea. Some automatic CPAP machines including the Puritan Bennett 420E can detect apneas which occur with and without cardiac osciallations to avoid increasing the pressure during central apnea events where the airway is definitely open. Similarly, advanced automatic CPAP machines can also differentiate between central and obstructive hypopnea (which is described as shallow breathing).
Below is actually a review of some great benefits of utilizing an automatic CPAP machine: Approximately 40% overall decline in delivered pressure. No need to be worried about adjusting a continuing pressure when your condition changes. Flexibility – the device could be set to automatic mode or constant mode. Some automatic machines detect the difference between obstructive apneas/hypopneas and central apneas/hypopneas.