BiPap vs Cpap

[jimjam]

I have been using a CPAP auto and has the opportunity to receive a BIPAP from a relative. Is there anything that a CPAP can achieve that cannot be done by a BIPAP. Can a BIBAP be "throttled down" to dp the same work as a CPAP.
Thanks.

[LSAT]

In most cases..yes. A bipap or bilevel can be programmed to be the same pressure as a CPAP.

[palerider]

I have been using a CPAP auto and has the opportunity to receive a BIPAP from a relative. Is there anything that a CPAP can achieve that cannot be done by a BIPAP. Can a BIBAP be "throttled down" to dp the same work as a CPAP.
Thanks.

It depends entirely on what kind of "bipap" (properly called a bilevel, unless it's made by respironics) your relative has. There are *at least* five or six different primary classes of bilevel machine. Most of them can act like a dumb cpap, but you shouldn't want that. you'd like at least an auto, and that's not a given with a bilevel.

[Sheriff Buford]

My son uses a S9 bipap as his machine. He only needs a ordinary cpap. I plan to get him one when I get the funds. Thanks to Palerider, several years ago, my son has the bipap dialed down to act like a autoset machine. I have the settings on a Word document. I will email it to you if you pm me.

Sheriff

[Pugsy]

BiPap is a trademark name for Respironics bilevel machines.
It's often used "generically" though as a term to cover all bilevel machines and there are many, many different models of bilevel machines from the plain ordinary bilevels that at nothing more than cpap/apap machines that can go higher in terms of pressure needs or pressure support needs to bilevels that will breathe for a person if they need help breathing.

In most situations...bilevel machines will have cpap mode available as a menu option...not always but in most situations its available or we can tweak some bilevel settings and have it mimic cpap or apap machine modes.

To really answer your question the most accurately we need to know exactly which model bilevel machine you have the chance to get.

[Berks]

Is there a reason why someone would use a bilevel as opposed to an APAP? Wouldn't APAP be ideal for anyone with sleep apnea?

[Pugsy]

Is there a reason why someone would use a bilevel as opposed to an APAP?

Yes...any number of very valid reasons.

Wouldn't APAP be ideal for anyone with sleep apnea?

Not necessarily...depends on the type of sleep apnea and maybe some other contributing factors.

[D.H.]

This was already stated, but let me put it succinctly.

Any BiPAP (or bi-level) machine can be used as a plain-old CPAP. If you own the machine but need a "plain old CPAP," you can always use it as such; no need to go out and buy a new machine.

[Pugsy]

Any BiPAP (or bi-level) machine can be used as a plain-old CPAP.

This is NOT necessarily true...it depends on the model and the settings offered.
Sometimes cpap mode isn't offered.
Sometimes the tweaks offered can't totally mimic cpap fixed pressures...often we can get close but close doesn't equal plain old cpap mode.

You really need to quit making

succinct

statements that aren't necessarily true because all it does is confuse people and make more work for other people here on the forum when they have to come behind you to correct your misinformation.

[palerider]

Is there a reason why someone would use a bilevel as opposed to an APAP? Wouldn't APAP be ideal for anyone with sleep apnea?

Think of a cpap as a car and a bilevel as a truck.

There are many kinds of trucks.

Little zippy ones and great big ones... but they're all "trucks" same with bilevel machines.

Some people just like driving pickup trucks because they want to. Some people just want a bilevel, but they don't *need* it.

And some people *need* a special bilevel, like some people need an 18 wheeler to do what has to be done.

[palerider]

This was already stated, but let me put it succinctly.

Any BiPAP (or bi-level) machine can be used as a plain-old CPAP. If you own the machine but need a "plain old CPAP," you can always use it as such; no need to go out and buy a new machine.

DH is our very own DME, you can't trust anything he says.

[Sheriff Buford]

Sent it to you Jim Jam. Let us know how it goes with the settings.

Sheriff