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Having Trouble Understanding EPR and EPAP - Printable Version

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Having Trouble Understanding EPR and EPAP - dreamstream - 03-05-2019

Am having trouble understanding EPR and EPAP. I'm on day 7 of CPAP with ResMed AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her. Starting to feel better and while I wouldn't say I'm getting used to sleeping with hose stuck to my face, I'm getting adjusted enough to use it all night long. What I can't seem to get clear on what EPR and EPAP means and how I might explore those settings on the ResMed. My AHI has average .87 and my machine was set to EPR: Full Time 3cmH2O by RT and that looks like the highest setting. Should I try playing around with setting it lower? Don't really understand that aspect of things yet. Guidance there would be appreciated.


RE: Having Trouble Understanding EPR and EPAP - mesenteria - 03-05-2019

EPAP is simply the setting for the lowest expiration pressure that you want the machine to provide your airway.

EPR is the difference between whatever the machine is providing you during INSPIRATION and what YOU set the EPR to be.  That can be anything from 'none' to 3 cm on many machines, whereas some more specialized machines can back off from whatever the high currently is by 4 cm or even more.

So, the high on variable inspiration settings can vary.  Whatever it happens to be at any one moment during your sleep, the machine will back off on its delivery of pressure as it senses you are exhaling, but it will only back off by a set 2,3,4...whatever...cm.  Your machine still has a bottom line level of 6 cm, and will never go below that pressure.