BiPAP Machines

This means that the machine delivers air under higher pressure as the sleeper inhales, and switches to a lower pressure during exhalation to make it easier to breathe out. The machine is usually recommended by sleep doctors if you have central sleep apnea, severe sleep apnea, or if you failed the CPAP therapy.

The Bi PAP machine was invented for people who have difficulty exhaling against the pressure of CPAP, or having respiratory failure, and make the treatment more tolerable. If a CPAP user cannot tolerate the machine due to extremely high pressures required to keep the airway open at night, the BPAP machine is the alternative. The patient will receive a lower pressure on exhaling, so the breathing will be more comfortable and effective.

CPAP users who feel excessive pressure or discomfort during expiration may feel comfortable with lower expiratory pressures from the BPAP machines; Bi-level treatment is often applied in patients who are insufficiently treated with constant positive airway pressure (CPAP). These patients may be candidates for APAP treatment, too, Bi PAP therapy is useful for patients who suffer primarily from ventilator impairment, such as those with obesity-hypoventilation syndrome, restrictive thoracic disorder, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), BiPAP is also indicated in central sleep apnea that is unresponsive to CPAP, it can be used for adult respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and various neuromuscular diseases.

Bi-pap machines will be considered the standard treatment for sleep apnea, considering all the superior benefits compared with CPAP: patients have good compliance rates with BPAP machines; the therapy is effective in terms of clinical status and improvement in blood gas levels. The new technology for BiPAP, named expiratory pressure relief (C-Flex), monitors the patient's airflow during his expiration and reduces the pressure in response to the patient's needs. Toward the end of the expiration, the pressure is increased again to prevent airway collapse. With C-Flex, the recent studies have demonstrated increased comfort levels to improve patient adherence. Studies have shown that central apneas related to cardiac failure or cerebrovascular accident can be treated with BPAP. Patients with COPD can benefit from BiPAP therapy, opposite to CPAP where the patient finds it difficult exhaling against the positive pressure.

In some cases, central apneas may occur with titration of BPAP. The cause is not certain, but is probably due to increased lung volume when the air for inspiration (IPAP) is significantly higher than the air used for expiration (EPAP). The cost of the Bi-PAP machines, which is higher than a regular CPAP machine.

• Mask air leaks
• general discomfort
• dry nose
• nasal congestion
• rhinitis