Sleep Apnea Cpap Machine Pressure Settings

Respironics machines have two modes cpap and c flex.

Sleep apnea cpap machine pressure settings.

Your doctor can adjust its rate. The maximum setting varies with the type of machine but it could be as high as 25 or 30 cwp. You probably know that the unit of pressure used for cpap is centimeters of water cm h2o. Press both the plus button and minus button simultaneously to get into the clinician setup menu.

To find your altitude click here. Press the ramp button to select either cpap or c flex as your mode. Your cpap pressure settings are measured in centimeters of water pressure or cmh2o. However this rating is too high for most people.

Changing the cpap pressure can cause problems but a little one centimeter of h2o plus or minus can t affect your husband s health. Cpap machines deliver a specific amount of pressurized air to prevent the soft tissue from collapsing and blocking your airway. First set the ramp pressure values then the ramp time. In most cases cpap pressure settings max out at 20 to 25 cm h2o.

The lowest setting on cpap machines maybe 4 to 5 centimeters of water pressure abbreviated as cm of h2o or cwp. Press the user button on the right to get to the set the pressure display screen. Most cpap machines are able to go as high as 25 cmh2o but that is far too high for the average sleep apnea sufferer. Determining required cpap pressure.

An apap machine may help you improve your sleep if you suffer from sleep apnea. 8 cm h2o is almost 0 11 psi which represents a low pressure for the lung s capacity. Learn the differences between automatic positive airway pressure machines and if it s best for you. Most cpap machines have a pressure settings range from 4 cm h 2 o to 20 cm h 2 o.

In general your cpap pressure settings should be just high enough to hold your airway open. The machine then automatically and slowly increases the air pressure to your prescribed setting as you fall asleep. While the average setting is 10 cmh2o your setting will likely fall anywhere between 6 and 15 cmh2o. Your doctor will prescribe one of the modes for you.

The highest pressure available on your cpap machine will depend on the model you own. A sleep physician determines the optimum cpap pressure after reviewing your apnea hypopnea index ahi. This setting allows you to start with low air pressure. You may be able to overcome this by using a machine with a ramp feature.

If the pressure is too high you may struggle with the device have nasal congestion and experience choppy or fragmented sleep. The vast majority of people require more pressure than this lowest setting. For instance if the pressure is set at 10 cm h2o then the pressure is the same as if you were drinking water through a 10 centimeter straw.