Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea
EPAP Vs CPAP - Printable Version

+- Apnea Board Forum - CPAP | Sleep Apnea (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums)
+-- Forum: Public Area (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Public-Area)
+--- Forum: Main Apnea Board Forum (https://www.apneaboard.com/forums/Forum-Main-Apnea-Board-Forum)
+--- Thread: EPAP Vs CPAP (/Thread-EPAP-Vs-CPAP)



EPAP Vs CPAP - bib03 - 06-17-2016

My doctor says I need an EPAP instead of a CPAP. I am trying to find more information on this. Anyone have any thoughts or know where to find information? I haven't been able to find an actual EPAP machine. Forgive my ignorance, I was diagnosed just recently.


RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - justMongo - 06-17-2016

The doc probably said APAP which is a Auto-PAP.
The acronym EPAP means Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure.


RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - Crimson Nape - 06-17-2016

Hi bib03! Welcome to the forum.

I'm guessing here but maybe he/she said' "VPAP" which usually means a variable pressure CPAP. This unit adjusts the pressure as needed to aid in reducing the pending apnea instead of being a fixed pressure. Actually getting a variable pressure machine is a good thing. All of machines in this catgory have data recording capability. Some straight pressure CPAPs can be non-recording and are referred to as "Bricks".

An EPAP usually refers to Exhale Positive Airway Pressure. This parameter comes into play on the next step up in machines. They have several trade names; commonly referred as BiPAP, Bi-Level, and V-Auto. There are probably several other names , I just can't think of them as I write this. A (VERY) simplified explanation is that they allow for a more detailed setting of pressures for both inhale and exhale.

You may wish to review this link to help in understanding CPAP therapy and the verbiage used:
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Wiki_Home

Good luck with your treatment and keep your profile updated when you get your supplies.





RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - stanleydean - 06-17-2016

Hi bib03,

You are headed in the right direction by participating in this forum. Welcome! Will your doctor be prescribing a machine? I am assuming you did have some sort of sleep test and were diagnosed with sleep apnea. If so the next step would normally be a RX from your doctor. You should check with doc. about that.

After my diagnosis I was left in a vacuum until receiving a call weeks later from the DME that equipment was coming. Although my treatment over the years was helping, my real help started when I became active in this forum.

Wishing you success, Stan


RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - trish6hundred - 06-17-2016

Hi bib03,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Much success to you as you start your CPAP journey, hang in there for more responses to your post.


RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - Sleepster - 06-17-2016

(06-17-2016, 10:20 AM)bib03 Wrote: My doctor says I need an EPAP instead of a CPAP.

Do you mean a BiPAP instead of a CPAP? Did he say why? Did you have trouble during your sleep study exhaling against the pressure? Many people do, and so the technicians switch you to a BiPAP, which gives you two levels of pressure instead of one. You get a higher pressure when you inhale (called the IPAP) and a lower pressure when you exhale (called the EPAP).

BiPAP is actually a brand name. It's more properly called a bi-level. Another brand name is VPAP.



RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - PaytonA - 06-17-2016

(06-17-2016, 10:42 AM)Crimson Nape Wrote: Hi bib03! Welcome to the forum.

I'm guessing here but maybe he/she said' "VPAP" which usually means a variable pressure CPAP. This unit adjusts the pressure as needed to aid in reducing the pending apnea instead of being a fixed pressure. Actually getting a variable pressure machine is a good thing. All of machines in this catgory have data recording capability. Some straight pressure CPAPs can be non-recording and are referred to as "Bricks".

VPAP machines are not necessarily auto adjusting machines. They are bilevel machines where the inhalation pressure and the exhalation pressure can be set separately. This allows more flexibility in the exhalation pressure setting.

There are auto adjusting VPAPs called VAuto or VPAP Auto that will adjust the pressure automatically while maintaining a set difference between inhalation pressure and exhalation pressure. This difference is called Pressure Support.

These are all Resmed names. Philips has its own names.

Best Regards,

PaytonA




RE: EPAP Vs CPAP - vsheline - 06-20-2016

Hi bib03, welcome to Apnea Board.

Useful general info:

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Archangle:Links

Good luck,
--- Vaughn