CPAP

Acronym: Continuos Positive Airway Pressure

The most frequently used therapy for Obstructive Sleep Apnea; abbreviated "CPAP." Invented in 1981 by Dr. Colin Sullivan of the University of Sydney in Australia.

A CPAP system delivers pressurized air, (Commonly 4 to 20cm H2O), through a nasal mask, to prevent collapse of the upper airway during sleep. If the patient can adjust to the sensations of CPAP, fatigue, blood sugar, blood pressure and a host of other conditions can be dramatically improved.

During the early years of experimentation, CPAP machines were made from common household vacuum cleaners blowing air into the patient’s airway at different pressures.

CPAP works by creating a "pneumatic splint" for the upper airway. A flow generator sends pressurized air through air tubing and a mask (usually a nasal mask) and through the nose to the upper airway. The pressurized air prevents the soft tissues of the upper airway from narrowing and collapsing.

what is XCPAP please.

xpap is just a way to say "any" type of cpap machine...cpap, bipap (bi-level), autopap.

"x" stands for whatever could go in front of "PAP".

Hello, I am new to this CPAP thing ok, yes i snore and i snore loud, and have been know to rattle some doors as well lol, anyway i have changed masked several times and so i think i have found the correct one, if anyone has any suggestions on how to cope with this CPAP thing please let me know ok.

mshairdresser wrote:Hello, I am new to this CPAP thing ok, yes i snore and i snore loud, and have been know to rattle some doors as well lol, anyway i have changed masked several times and so i think i have found the correct one, if anyone has any suggestions on how to cope with this CPAP thing please let me know ok.

It would help the members greatly if you would add your equipment to your profile...here's how.
wiki/index.php/Registering_Equipment_in_User_Profile

Regarding coping with CPAP thing....what is bugging you about it?
We could offer hundreds of suggestions but might not pertain to the issues your are having.
It would help if we knew what your problems seemed to be.

Edit....mshairdresser has started her own thread with same question. Probably best to let this old thread die back.

I came to this thread via a web search and haven't been able to find the other thread referred to -- so I'll carry it on to see if it's of any value.

As we already know from the earlier posts, CPAP stands for 'continous positive airway pressure' and, as the name suggests, it works by creating an 'air splint' or 'pneumatic splint' which keeps the soft tissue of the upper airway from collapsing and obstructing the airway.

Contrary to popular belief, CPAP does not breathe for the patient. It merely keeps the airway open by introducing gently pressurised air to 'inflate' the airway, a bit like a long, skinny balloon. Imagine trying to breathe through an uninflated balloon -- it is virtually impossible. But when the balloon is inflated enough to keep the walls apart, breathing is easy. The same principle applies to CPAP.

CPAP is unquestionably the 'gold standard' when it comes to the treatment of severe sleep disordered breathing conditions, such as moderate or severe obstructive sleep apnoea. It is virtually 100% effective at treating even the most serious cases -- but the problem is whether the patient will 'comply' with treatment. The young lady in the earlier post talking about her difficult fit is an example of why many patients stop using CPAP.

This is extremely unfortunate, because in most cases a very comfortable fit can be achieved and the benefits of effective treatment are simply phenomenal. Successful treatment of CPAP just requires good support, advice and care from someone who knows what they're doing. Unfortunately, too many CPAP suppliers are mere merchants who sell you the equipment and wish you luck. Better suppliers are true treatment providers who will work with the patient until they are fully and successfully compliant and comfortable.

Anyone care to comment?

SleepDoc11 wrote: Anyone care to comment?

Yea another shameless spam plug disguised as an internet search. I wonder what you were searching for?

This place is in Australia...note the phone number. I wonder how much $$$ that call will be?