How is resmed auto-flex different from c-flex?

[VicRob]

MY DME replaced a broken machine today and gave me a resmed auto cpap with auto-flex. I was just getting used to the c-flex setting and was, in fact, experimenting with no c-flex at all. What exactly is auto-flex and how does it differ from c-flex?

[jules]

what is the exact model name of the machine?

what color is the machine? does it look like the other one?

is it resmed or respironics?

[dsm]

I am not sure I have ever heard of 'Resmed auto-flex' ? - take a peek at the menu & say what model & what it actually says ? (Resmeds do have 'EPR').
But some models of the Respironics Auto have a thing called A-Flex.

Cheers

DSM

[dsm]

Am guessing it is A-Flex,

Take a look here

http://cflex.respironics.com/
http://aflex.respironics.com/

Cheers

DSM

[jules]

dsm - I expect you are right - hence my leading questions

[VicRob]

Yes, it is an M series auto cpap with a-flex. My apologies...

In what way is it different? What would be the advantage of one over the other?

Victor

[jules]

you got a machine now with more capabilities -

you can get cflex out of it as one of the options -

or you can get aflex which is some form of relief on both breathing in and out - read the pages dsm posted and compare

[VicRob]

I'm afraid I can't make much sense, at first glance, of those graphs. Could you please explain to me why one is preferable over another. Why a user would choose one over the other? Or is it a crap shoot? Try different settings and see what happens?

[dsm]

I'm afraid I can't make much sense, at first glance, of those graphs. Could you please explain to me why one is preferable over another. Why a user would choose one over the other? Or is it a crap shoot? Try different settings and see what happens?

Vic

C-Flex alone is an exhale relief mechanism. This means that when you end breathing in & start to breath out, the C-Flex sensing sees your are just starting to breath out & to ease the effort it momentarily drops the pressure (settings of 1 2 & 3 vary just how big the dip or drop is). As mentioned, the pressure drop is short lived but intended to ease that transition. As you continue breathing out C-Flex relaxes & brings the pressure back to normal this happens about 1/3 to 1/2 way into breathing out.

The 1 2 & 3 settings don't mean 1 2 or 3 CMs of drop. The actual drop in pressure is not quite known & varies depending on a few other circumstances.

A-Flex includes C-Flex (exhale relief) but adds a smoothing pattern to when breathing in (vs C-Flex for breathing out). It seeks to track your natural breathing rhythm & match it. Some people find the A-Flex part of the cycle bothers them (tries to control their breathing). It can take a bit of patience to get used to (just like cpap generally).

Hope this helps a bit & makes the charts a bit clearer.

DSM

[VicRob]

Thank you!

Victor

[LinkC]

It was sort of mentioned but may not have been clear: you can set your A-flex machine to provide either C-flex or A-flex (or none!). You can also set it for either CPAP or APAP.