About CPAP
What is CPAP ?
There are two types of PAP (Positive Airway Pressure) units, which enable the airway to remain open. This stops snoring (a vibration), any reduction in breathing (hypopnoea) and obstructive apnoeas where there is a complete cessation in breathing.
Continuous:
CPAP is the most common form where the airflow starts at a low pressure (starting pressure) and then gradually increases over a set period of time (known as ramp = 0-45 minutes) to the prescribed pressure (6-20 cm H2O) where it then remains throughout the night. The prescribed pressure is individual for each patient and is determined by Scientists within a sleep unit by manual titration or automatically with the use of an APAP (Automatic Positive Airway Pressure) study, which is usually performed at home.
Auto-adjusting:
APAP automatically detects snoring along with partial or full airway closure , the device will then increases the pressure when these occur until normal breathing resumes. Throughout the night, the pressure continues to adjust up and down which can make it more comfortable as the high pressure is not needed continuously.
Products:
View our product range from various suppliers including: Fisher & Paykel Healthcare, Philips Respironics, ResMed, Transcend, Weinmann and Apex.
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea occurs when there is a complete obstruction in your upper airway passages that does not allow the air to be inhaled or exhaled. This can happen even though your chest and abdomen may still be moving.
A Hypopnoea is a slight closure where air can still travel through the airways but not as effectively.
Snoring and sleep apnoea can lead to hypertension, stroke, impotence, heart attacks and vehicle accidents.
Use CPAP to fix Snoring
Simple snoring is caused by a vibration of the soft parts of the upper airway. Obstruction in the airways can be a short thick neck, receding chin, mucous membranes, enlarged tongue or tonsils, uvula, polyps or poor muscle tone.
In general, about 20 percent of the adult population snore regularly, with men snoring more than women, and older people snoring more than young people. At age thirty-five, only 20 percent of men and 5 percent of women snore. By age sixty though, a full 60 percent of men and almost 40 percent of women snore. Snoring is three times more common in people who are overweight than in thin people, and is rated as a serious problem in almost one-third of marriages.
