BiPAP Machine differeces???

dataq1 · Post by **dataq1** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 8:51 am

Recently my DME brought a ResMed VPAPIII to me to use "for a while" saying it's a better machine than the Respironics BiPap Pro 2. Both machines were set to 16 and 5. Both have smartcards and both have humidifiers. The Resmed model is spontanous (not S/T capable), I really don't know about the respironics machine response factors.
The question I'd pose to the forum is: Are there really significant differences between manufacturers of the same type of machine? What can make one better than the other, assuming that they are functionally identical? Can you speculate on why a DME (who has not impressed me thus far with the depth of their knowledge) would respesent the Resmed VPAP III to be "better" than the same type Respironics?

Are there really significant differences?

As a newbie to the forum, I apologize for asking a question that likely has already been covered.

thanks,

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 4:06 pm

The mechanical parts are very well designed & built for both types of machine.

The nightly sleep data is known to be quite different but that in itself is not that big an issue providing one doesn't try to compare the data from 1 machine to another as this varies confusingly.

The Respironics BiPap machines don't have as fine adjustments as the VPAP III and also the BiPaps have a tendancy to flip between IPAP to EPAP too quickly.

Cheers

DSM

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Sat Apr 22, 2006 6:50 pm

One other aspect of the BiPap S/T, is that the IPAP and EPAP adjustments can only be increased/decreased 1 CMS at a time.

I believe the VPAP III can do these adjustments in much smaller increments (IIRC it is 0.2 CMS). My Puritan Bennett Knightstar PB330 also can only do these increments 1 CMS at a time.

I had been expecting that when I bought my Bipap S/T, that it would have at least done the changes in 0.5 increments because my BiPap Pro 2 does.
I just never thought to ask

Cheers

DSM