Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
Big Steve
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Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Big Steve » Fri May 04, 2012 9:05 am

Last edited by Big Steve on Fri Oct 31, 2014 3:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri May 04, 2012 9:12 am

My guess, yes, but I don't know if it's significant.

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Big Steve
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Big Steve » Fri May 04, 2012 9:17 am

chunkyfrog wrote:My guess, yes, but I don't know if it's significant.
Thanks but I'd like to know before I decide to buy a longer hose.

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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Guest » Fri May 04, 2012 9:31 am

Big Steve wrote:Can the length of your CPAP hose affect your pressure? My current pressure is "18" and my current hose length is 6 feet. If I wanted to purchase an 8 foot hose would the extra 2 feet in length have an affect on my CPAP pressure? Would a longer hose cause my pressure to be lower; for example drop to "16" instead of my prescribed pressure of "18"?


Since you're using straight pressure (CPAP mode), the answer is "No".
If you were using an APAP with a range of pressures and were asking about a 10' hose, then the answer would be "possibly", as the extra length MAY affect the response time for the APAP to sense events and change pressures.

You'll be fine.

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RandyJ
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by RandyJ » Fri May 04, 2012 10:17 am

Some machines have settings in the Clinician's Menu for the length and/or diameter of the hose. I'm not familiar with M-Series machines though... I'm sure someone who has that machine will respond.

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Big Steve
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Big Steve » Fri May 04, 2012 10:26 am

Guest wrote:
Big Steve wrote:Can the length of your CPAP hose affect your pressure? My current pressure is "18" and my current hose length is 6 feet. If I wanted to purchase an 8 foot hose would the extra 2 feet in length have an affect on my CPAP pressure? Would a longer hose cause my pressure to be lower; for example drop to "16" instead of my prescribed pressure of "18"?


Since you're using straight pressure (CPAP mode), the answer is "No".
If you were using an APAP with a range of pressures and were asking about a 10' hose, then the answer would be "possibly", as the extra length MAY affect the response time for the APAP to sense events and change pressures.

You'll be fine.
I don't know about straight CPAP pressure because now I'm on C-FLEX. Thanks for the post.

Guest

Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Guest » Fri May 04, 2012 10:27 am

RandyJ wrote:Some machines have settings in the Clinician's Menu for the length and/or diameter of the hose. I'm not familiar with M-Series machines though... I'm sure someone who has that machine will respond.
The M Series (and older machines) did not have that feature.
Typically, only ResMed has had settings for the hose length. However, the newest Philips/Respironics machines have settings for hose diameter.


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Big Steve
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Big Steve » Fri May 04, 2012 10:28 am

RandyJ wrote:Some machines have settings in the Clinician's Menu for the length and/or diameter of the hose. I'm not familiar with M-Series machines though... I'm sure someone who has that machine will respond.
I wasn't aware that CPAP hoses came in different diameters; interesting. I just assumed they were all the same diameter.

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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Guest » Fri May 04, 2012 10:29 am

Big Steve wrote:
Guest wrote:
Big Steve wrote:Can the length of your CPAP hose affect your pressure? My current pressure is "18" and my current hose length is 6 feet. If I wanted to purchase an 8 foot hose would the extra 2 feet in length have an affect on my CPAP pressure? Would a longer hose cause my pressure to be lower; for example drop to "16" instead of my prescribed pressure of "18"?


Since you're using straight pressure (CPAP mode), the answer is "No".
If you were using an APAP with a range of pressures and were asking about a 10' hose, then the answer would be "possibly", as the extra length MAY affect the response time for the APAP to sense events and change pressures.

You'll be fine.
I don't know about straight CPAP pressure because now I'm on C-FLEX. Thanks for the post.


Not a factor. C-Flex is exhale relief.


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neverbetter
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by neverbetter » Fri May 04, 2012 10:31 am

All the machines are self adjusting now. Unless you have an old brick from before 2007 or 2008, they will adjust themselves just like they do for minor leaks.

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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Guest » Fri May 04, 2012 10:37 am

Big Steve wrote:
RandyJ wrote:Some machines have settings in the Clinician's Menu for the length and/or diameter of the hose. I'm not familiar with M-Series machines though... I'm sure someone who has that machine will respond.
I wasn't aware that CPAP hoses came in different diameters; interesting. I just assumed they were all the same diameter.
Even though there are different diameters, the connectors are typically the same size.
If you go to CPAP (dot) COM, then to category "CPAP Supplies" and then to sub-category "Hoses (Tubing)" you can check out the various types of hoses. You can also view them by manufacturer.


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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Goofproof » Fri May 04, 2012 10:48 am

Big Steve wrote:Can the length of your CPAP hose affect your pressure? My current pressure is "18" and my current hose length is 6 feet. If I wanted to purchase an 8 foot hose would the extra 2 feet in length have an affect on my CPAP pressure? Would a longer hose cause my pressure to be lower; for example drop to "16" instead of my prescribed pressure of "18"?


Tech wise yes, but in the REAL World, as long as you don't go over 10 feet the machine will be correct. The worst thing is the longer the hose the more noise it picks up from rubbing, and the less effective APAP sensors will be, but under 10 feet you are good to go. Jim
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Uncle_Bob
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by Uncle_Bob » Fri May 04, 2012 11:15 am

Both the Resmed S8 and S9 have menu settings for the hose length.
On the S8 you choose the length. On the S9 you choose Slimline or Standard (difference of 6 inches).
So there must be some reason for these options.
having said that some masks have the hose connects directly to the mask like the Quattro and some masks have an additional 1 foot of tubing like the Swift LT. So i don't know why you can specify the difference between a 6' and 6'6" hose but then have not way of telling the machine you've got an extra foot long hose on a mask. Mask type choice maybe?

~UB

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chunkyfrog
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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by chunkyfrog » Fri May 04, 2012 11:39 am

We need a common cross-reference chart (like automotive lights and wiper blades)
To enable us to accurately set our machines to use other brands of masks.
As far as I see, all we can do is make our own best guess.
This for a healthcare product? Give us a break!

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Re: Can CPAP hose length affect your pressure?

Post by GumbyCT » Fri May 04, 2012 2:11 pm

Big Steve wrote:Can the length of your CPAP hose affect your pressure? My current pressure is "18" and my current hose length is 6 feet. If I wanted to purchase an 8 foot hose would the extra 2 feet in length have an affect on my CPAP pressure? Would a longer hose cause my pressure to be lower; for example drop to "16" instead of my prescribed pressure of "18"?
Stevo "I was worried sick about you"... where ya been buddy? Good to see you again.

You have been given some good info, let me just add my penny to the pile.

The short answer to your question is Yes, it can affect your pressure. Tho, In your case I doubt you will have any troubles.
As mentioned by UB the mask used can add another 6-12 inches. You don't say which mask you are using?

Also using a humidifier will add an additional volume to help reduce the effective pressure at the mask end. IF you are like me and you use the HC-150 plus the integrated humidifier, that volume increase WILL also make a difference.

For other readers who might be using an auto - Stevo is using straight cpap - the auto can stop sensing events when a hose + volume of other things mentioned above gets too long. With straight cpap you can compensate by increasing the pressure to allow for the loss of pressure.

However comma IF you rely on the features of an auto-adjusting cpap YOU should pay attention to things like hose length.

Also IF you track your data and keep getting an AHI of zero yet don't feel the therapy is effective, it could be that you machine is not sensing some (or alot of) events.

So it is not just the hose length but the entire volume of your cpap system that should be considered.

HTH

Stevo check your PM's

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