BiPAP Information Wanted

mhlm · Post by **mhlm** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 12:19 pm

I am a newly diagnosed UARS patient and am looking for some guidance. (By the way, in the short amount of time I have been following this site, I have been very impressed with the participants’ level of knowledge and the quality of the responses.) My doctor has prescribed a BiPAP machine for my condition. After much reading on this and other websites, I have narrowed down my choice of machines to the Respironics BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex or the Resmed VPAP Malibu. I have read a number of positive posts on this site about the Respironics BiPAP Auto. However, I have not read much about the Resmed VPAP Malibu. It seems to me that the main difference between the two machines is the Bi-Flex feature. I am not sure if the Malibu has a similar feature. Additionally, I have heard that the Malibu may more closely mirror a person’s natural breathing pattern than the BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex.

If anyone has had any experience with the Malibu or knows someone who has, I would be interested in getting some feedback. Additionally, if anyone could compare the pros and cons of the two machines, I would be very interested in that as well. Thanks.

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Mon Jun 04, 2007 2:17 pm

Hi,

You are (IMHO) on the right path with a BiLevel.

Re the Malibu, it is too new & I am not aware of any one having one or providing feedback.

Re the BiPap Auto, there is lots of feedback on it - mostly v.good.

There is however a bit of a difference in how these two work & without trying the Malibu (I have a Bipap Autp - tank), it is difficult to guess as to which may offer the better therapy.

The difference is that the Bipap Auto ajusts ipap (breath in pressure) and epap (breathe out pressure) independantly. Also it starts off with a fixed gap of 2cms and then lets that vary up to a maximum gap set by the RT (or user )

The Malibu on the other hand allows the RT (user) to set a fixed gap and then ipap/epap will vary up & down together whilst maintaining that set PS gap.

I really would like to see clinical trials of them both as the approaches differ so much.

But at a guess, I would say that whatever device one chooses, it is likley most people will get used to the way it works & then might find the other device strange.

Good luck

DSM

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 3:01 pm

DSM,

Thanks for the quick reply. Drawing my attention to the difference between how the two units work was very helpful. I'll do a bit more research and then make a decision. Thanks again.