Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP)
This machine delivers a prescribed and preset amount of air, directly into the airway, to treate obstructive sleep apnea.
Prescribed pressure is determined from the 2nd part of a sleep study. The titration study will reflect the amount of pressure needed to keep the airway open. The physician writes an order for a CPAP at __ cm.
There is no variance in the pressure delivered by a CPAP machine. It constantly blows at the preset pressure at all phases of respiration. The usual prescribed number can range from 7 to 20. The higher the number, the harder it is to tolerate. It is hard to exhale against a high number. If the patient cannot tolerate the CPAP they can be changed to a BiPap sytem which improves tolerance and compliance.
Note: Medicare requires the patient to try the CPAP for 3 months prior to any change. After 3 months an order for BiPap along with a written letter of intolerance is required from the physician to initiate BiPap therapy. See BiPap.
