S9 VPAP or BiPAP Machines- What are the Differences?

[BeanMeScot]

I have a friend who wants to get a new BiLevel/VPAP machine. She has an ancient Resmed VPAP III now. I don't know much about the BiLevels. I went to CPAP.com and it shows an S9 VPAP Auto and and S9 VPAP S but I didn't see much difference between them. Or is a Respironics BiPAP the best way to go? I know I like my S9 Autoset much more than I did my Respironics M Series with A-Flex but is the Respronics BiLevel a better machine?

Any help would be appreciated!

[Pugsy]

an S9 VPAP Auto and and S9 VPAP S but I didn't see much difference between them.

Not much difference.
The S9 VPAP S has 2 modes of operation. Fixed bilevel (2 pressures used) and CPAP mode (single fix pressure)
The S9 VPAP Auto has 3 modes of operation...the first 2 like the VPAP S and an additional auto adjusting bilevel pressure mode.

VPAP is ResMed's trademark brand name
BiPap is Respironics trademark brand name.

Both refer to bilevel pressure machines where there are 2 distinct pressures available in bilevel mode. One for inhale and one for exhale.

Between the VPAP and the BiPap brands...some minor differences on how they address things but unless a person just happens to do better with the way one brand does things then there really isn't a "better" machine when discussing brands.
I happen to own both brands and I can use either one equally effectively.

If your friend has used the ResMed bilevel in the past then he/she might want to stay with that brand because he/she would be used to the way it goes about doing its job.
But if using fixed bilevel mode....not much difference. The difference is more in the auto adjusting pressure mode.

viewtopic.php?f=1&t=71017&p=655822&#p655822

[Sir NoddinOff]

Both PR and ResMed are either lazy or crazy about naming machines. They go on forever using old nomenclature like RemStar (who knows WTF that means?) or VPAP (meaning bilevel, but only in some cases). Then they append some obscure suffix like 'Adapt', 'S', 'ST' or 'SV'. It's enough to drive a person up the wall. I doubt if even most of the sleep doctors can keep it straight. I haven't even scratched the surface... I'm sure some other folks on the forum have even better oddball examples.