Cpap altitude adjustment

General Discussion on any topic relating to CPAP and/or Sleep Apnea.
tyrinryan
Posts: 133
Joined: Wed Jun 26, 2019 1:46 pm

Re: Cpap altitude adjustment

Post by tyrinryan » Sun Jul 24, 2022 12:05 am

I have never really understood the "compensates"; does this mean that there is some sort of altimeter in the machine. Otherwise how can it even know what the altitude is to "compensate" for it?
'

User avatar
ChicagoGranny
Posts: 15085
Joined: Sun Jan 29, 2012 1:43 pm
Location: USA

Re: Cpap altitude adjustment

Post by ChicagoGranny » Sun Jul 24, 2022 5:41 am

tyrinryan wrote:
Sun Jul 24, 2022 12:05 am
I have never really understood the "compensates"; does this mean that there is some sort of altimeter in the machine. Otherwise how can it even know what the altitude is to "compensate" for it?
'
No.

In thinner air, the machines increase fan speed so that a patient who lives at sea level using 10 cm H2O of CPAP, will continue to receive 10 cm H2O of CPAP when she sleeps at altitude, such as 8000 feet in the mountains.

The machines don't "know" they are at altitude. They just know what their pressure sensors are reading and adjust the fan speed to the readings.