CPAP and BiPAP are among the most popular treatments for Sleep Apnea. If you’re a Sleep apnea patient then your medical advisor must have discussed one or both of these treatments with you at some point. Most Sleep apnea patients wonder which one of these treatments is better for them. Let’s discuss the differences between both these treatments in depth.
What is a CPAP device?
CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Positive Airway Airway Pressure. It is the most commonly practiced treatment for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). It works by delivering air pressure generated by a machine through a tube into a mask worn over the nose or mouth.
How does a CPAP machine work?
A CPAP machine is a device that uses air pressure to keep the airway open by delivering it through the nose into the back of the throat. The pressure can be changed. There are numerous ways to change the way air is delivered in order to maintain the airway open when sleeping.
Who uses a CPAP machine?
People who have serious breathing issues while sleeping use CPAP therapy. It is the most commonly prescribed Sleep Apnea Treatment for people who have obstructive sleep apnea, which occurs when the lungs do not receive enough oxygen while sleeping. This sleep apnea treatment is also used for infants as well as adults. Infants with underdeveloped lungs will be put on CPAP therapy, which involves having air blown into their lungs.
What is a BiPAP device?
BiPAP stands for Bilevel or two-level Positive Airway Pressure . This sleep apnea treatment, like CPAP, operates by forcing air through a tube into a mask worn over the nose. While CPAP usually only provides single pressure, BiPAP provides two: an inhale and an exhale pressure. Inhalation positive airway pressure (IPAP) and exhalation positive airway pressure (EPAP).
How does a BiPAP device work?
In most cases, the BiPAP equipment has two settings, and the effort required to inhale and exhale is monitored. If the person sleeping does not breathe for a predetermined amount of time then the BiPAP device may be set to deliver a breath. This is commonly set as a minimum breath rate, often known as a ‘back-up rate,’ which specifies a minimum number of breaths per minute (BPM). This option instructs the patient to take a specific number of breaths per minute.
Who uses a BiPAP machine?
This sleep apnea treatment is frequently used by people who require more breathing support. Patients with congestive heart failure/coronary artery disease, as well as pulmonary or neurologic medical conditions, are frequently prescribed this therapy. Patients with neuromuscular issues may potentially benefit from a BiPAP device’s pressure differential.
Which one is better for me CPAP or BiPAP?
CPAP or AutoCPAP is usually used to treat the most prevalent form of obstructive sleep apnea. Bilevel, also known as BiPAP, is more commonly used to treat central sleep apnea, which is characterized by breathing pauses without obstruction of the airway.
Central sleep apnea is identified as a part of a sleep study. People who have experienced heart failure, a stroke, or who take narcotic pain drugs on a regular basis are more likely to develop this condition. It can also be caused by CPAP itself, although this only happens once or twice after the first few months of use.
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