What's the difference in CPAP and BiPAP?

What's the difference in CPAP and BiPAP?
Tonight will be my first night, Hope I can get a decent nights sleep for a change.

If you are talking about a plain old BiPAP, the only difference between them is that the BiPAP has two pressure settings: EPAP = exhalation positive air pressure and IPAP = inhalation positive air pressure. The pressure switches from EPAP to IPAP when the machine detects the beginning of the inhalation and it switches from IPAP to EPAP when the machine detects the beginning of the exhalation.

robysue wrote:If you are talking about a plain old BiPAP, the only difference between them is that the BiPAP has two pressure settings: EPAP = exhalation positive air pressure and IPAP = inhalation positive air pressure. The pressure switches from EPAP to IPAP when the machine detects the beginning of the inhalation and it switches from IPAP to EPAP when the machine detects the beginning of the exhalation.

How do they determine if you need BiPap?

flyingwithoutwings wrote: How do they determine if you need BiPap?

For a plain old BiPAP?

The protocol for recommending a plain bi-level machine is typically a combination of one or more of the following problems that persists after several weeks to a few months of using a CPAP/APAP:

• Serious discomfort issues that cannot be resolved by changing masks or reducing or changing the pressure on the CPAP machine or by switching from CPAP to APAP. Aerophagia is one serious discomfort issue that sometimes resolves with a switch to BiPAP.
• A treated AHI that remains above 5.0 in spite of good compliance with CPAP/APAP therapy.
• A titrated CPAP pressure of 15cm or more, particularly if the patient has problems with exhalation even when exhalation relief is turned on and set to its maximum setting.
• No change in daytime symptoms of OSA or a worsening of daytime symptoms of OSA in spite of good compliance with CPAP/APAP therapy, regardless of the treated AHI. Daytime symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue and lack of energy, and brain fog.

Most insurance companies will require a patient to "fail" at CPAP before authorizing a switch to BiPAP. "Failing at CPAP" really should be worded as "CPAP/APAP failed to resolve the patient's problems" rather than "the patient didn't try hard enough." If the patient is not very compliant with CPAP/APAP therapy in the first place, the insurance company will probably balk at covering a switch to BiPAP.

This is purely academic, but bare in mind that CPAP stands for "continuous positive airway pressure" and all machines, including bi-level, auto, etc., are classified as CPAP. Because of the prevalence of constant-pressure CPAP, and probably because the "C" in CPAP is interpreted by some to stand for "constant", it is assumed to be that way, while, in fact, it is not. This might help the OP clear up some confusion.
McSleepy

On this site is there a list or meanings for all the abbreviations? That would help for the newbies.

We had the Wiki....light bulb on top of forum page but link appears to be broken at the moment.

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/s ... r_Glossary
This glossary has some of the acronyms in it.

Thanks, that helped

robysue wrote:

flyingwithoutwings wrote: How do they determine if you need BiPap?

For a plain old BiPAP?

The protocol for recommending a plain bi-level machine is typically a combination of one or more of the following problems that persists after several weeks to a few months of using a CPAP/APAP:

• Serious discomfort issues that cannot be resolved by changing masks or reducing or changing the pressure on the CPAP machine or by switching from CPAP to APAP. Aerophagia is one serious discomfort issue that sometimes resolves with a switch to BiPAP.
• A treated AHI that remains above 5.0 in spite of good compliance with CPAP/APAP therapy.
• A titrated CPAP pressure of 15cm or more, particularly if the patient has problems with exhalation even when exhalation relief is turned on and set to its maximum setting.
• No change in daytime symptoms of OSA or a worsening of daytime symptoms of OSA in spite of good compliance with CPAP/APAP therapy, regardless of the treated AHI. Daytime symptoms include excessive daytime sleepiness, fatigue and lack of energy, and brain fog.

Most insurance companies will require a patient to "fail" at CPAP before authorizing a switch to BiPAP. "Failing at CPAP" really should be worded as "CPAP/APAP failed to resolve the patient's problems" rather than "the patient didn't try hard enough." If the patient is not very compliant with CPAP/APAP therapy in the first place, the insurance company will probably balk at covering a switch to BiPAP.

I have more questions Robysue.....I'll start my own thread, don't want to take over this one.