CPAP Pressure Settings
At the previoud cpap machine pressure settings we mentioned the traditional setting method, here we talk about the new CPAP pressure settings method.
1. Identify the sleep apnea and set the CPAP pressure at the same time, divide the patient check into two parts 
ne to confirm a diagnosis of sleep apnea syndrome, the other set the CPAP pressure value, thus to save the patient’s expenses. But later found that the patients treated through this press setting method often requests to re-set and mask replacement. It actually increased the burden on the patients. Our experience is that a number of severe sleep apnea syndrome patients, this approach feasible, but to mild patients, this method easy leading misdiagnosis and failure treatment.
2. After the diagnosis of sleep apnea syndrome, not based on the results of polysomnography, identify the pressure value in the patients home. The first night, the technician go to the patients home to guide patients to use CPAP breathing machine and oxygen saturation meter, set 5 to 7 cm water column (0.49 ~ 0.69 kPa) of low pressure value. After 1 to 2 hours treatment, the technician can leave. The next day, according to records of oxygen saturation values and the patient’s condition improvement, determine whether the pressure is appropriate. If not enough, then daily increase pressure values progressively until treatment succeeds. This can save 1 / 3 to 1 / 2 of medical expenses, and can reduce the workload of medical staff.
We also applied this method to set up dozens of cases of sleep apnea syndrome pressure value, the specific process is as follows: After diagnosed as sleep apnea by the multi-channel physiological recorder, the first night with oxygen saturation monitor (only palm-size, easy to use) in the patients home for oxygen saturation monitoring, determination of results as the pre-treatment baseline, and then on the day in the hospital by the technicians to teach patients to use CPAP breathing machine, select and take a good nose mask, based on experience, combined with patient’s size, severity, select one empirical treatment of stress, usually 8 to 12 cm water column (0.785 ~ 1.18 kPa), observe the patients at the lunch break hours (many critically ill patients to fall asleep at any time), then patients with a CPAP breathing machine to go home at night sleep trial.
Most of the patients after 2 to 3 days to learn, test, basic to master the use of machinery and the regulation of nasal mask. And asked the families of patients to pay attention to the occurrence of snoring or apnea, if have, then increase the pressure by 2cm water column (0.196 kPa), and telephone contact with the doctor at any time, report the matters of using, and solve existing problems.
After about 1 week trial, patients can master the skilled use of CPAP breathing machine, snoring during sleep disappeared, again measured oxygen saturation during sleep. Compare the results with that of pre-treatment, if the minimum oxygen saturation above 0.90, no significant fluctuations in blood oxygen, then the pressure is appropriate. Otherwise continue to rise on CPAP pressure.
3. There are already automatically pressure adjustment CPAP machine on the market, which can put the appropriate pressure according the upper airway resistance to maintain the upper airway is always open. Automatically report the optimal range of pressure the next day.
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Tags: CPAP, CPAP pressure, cpap pressure setting, cpap pressure settings