Philips Respironics and ResMed: 5-year unit replacement

In a normal world, not one in which there’s a reasonable probability that use of a recalled product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the two main PAP machine producers, Philips Respironics and ResMed each recommend their unit be replaced after 5 years of use. If they could be approached, presumably they would give good reasons for this recommendation.

Pecuniary interests aside, does anyone know what these reasons might be? Do these machines tend to lose their settings in time? Does the motor tend to fail or operate erratically? Do they begin to generate untenable noise? Does the hardware or software technology outdate the previous technology so much as to make it unviable? Does the science change so much…

You may have heard or read of Philips’ and ResMed’s reasons; you may have experienced equipment failure, or repeatedly read about particular failures on this forum, or never have read about or experienced any reason whatsoever.

In any case, giving Philips Respironics and ResMed the benefit of the doubt, why do you think they recommend their units be replaced every five years.

Thanks

Am I the only one that thinks it is "odd" how manufacturer's suggested replacement schedule for anything just happens to correlate to most insurance companies' replacement schedules as to how often they will pay for a replacement???
Duh....
I would bet my last dollar that if/when insurance companies make it official and change the allowable time frame for replacement of anything that the manufacturers will follow suit.

Like LSAT said....follow the money.

AfibApnea wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:41 pm

by AfibApnea » Sat Sep 18, 2021 1:41 pm

Software: Sleepyhead

You just as well get something out of this:

https://www.sleepfiles.com/OSCAR/

Sleepyhead is essentially dead.

Oscar is the new improved version.

JPB

PS - You already got the clinician manual link.

You are welcome.

AfibApnea wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:41 pm

In a normal world, not one in which there’s a reasonable probability that use of a recalled product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death, the two main PAP machine producers, Philips Respironics and ResMed each recommend their unit be replaced after 5 years of use. If they could be approached, presumably they would give good reasons for this recommendation.

They have excellent reasons for those recommendations, BECAUSE THEY"LL MAKE MORE MONEY THAT WAY.

AfibApnea wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:41 pm

Pecuniary interests aside, does anyone know what these reasons might be?

Money The same reason the DMEs want you to throw away your nasal cushions every two weeks.

AfibApnea wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:41 pm

Do these machines tend to lose their settings in time? Does the motor tend to fail or operate erratically? Do they begin to generate untenable noise? Does the hardware or software technology outdate the previous technology so much as to make it unviable? Does the science change so much…

No, no, no, no, maybe.

AfibApnea wrote: ↑

Sat Sep 18, 2021 12:41 pm

In any case, giving Philips Respironics and ResMed the benefit of the doubt, why do you think they recommend their units be replaced every five years.

I think I've covered it.

PS, my late brother's main ASV has 26,259 hours on it, other than a programmed 'motor life exceeded, spend more money!" message, it's still working fine.

that's 8.99 years of faithful use.

My Phillips System 1 ASV has 18,000+ hours on it it. The knob has broken off long ago and the auto start sensor has gotten very unreliable, but the machine otherwise is working fine as far as I know (Of course it has been recalled and I have been replaced with a new ResMed AirCurve 10 ASV)