Everything You Should Know About the APAP Machine

Sleep Apnea

Sleep apnea is an illness characterized by pauses in breathing while sleeping. While individuals with sleep apnea sleep, they experience many lengthy breathing interruptions. These brief pauses in breathing impair slumber efficiency and deplete the body’s oxygen flow, possibly resulting in severe medical repercussions.

Microarousals from sleep are frequently caused by apneas or interruptions in breathing while sleeping. Although it would just be for a short time, continuous awakening from sleep might hinder a patient from receiving the deep, restful sleep they require.

Treatment of Sleep Apnea

The majority of sleep apnea disorders are treated with one of 2 machines: a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) unit or an automated positive airway pressure (APAP) unit. Both CPAP and APAP machines are meant to improve airflow to assist in treating sleep apnea problems. A CPAP machine is the preferred solution in most situations, while some individuals may benefit from an APAP machine.

APAP Machine

An APAP stands for “automated positive airway pressure.” APAPs assist individuals with sleep apnea to breathe simpler and take naps effectively by delivering pressurized air to keep the air passages open. The soft palate, uvula, and tongue are kept from blocking or compressing the airflow by APAP machines, which generate an oxygen splint by cushioning and pushing it open. It tries to adjust the quantity of pressure on a breath-by-breath principle as the requirements alter all through the night as one progresses in and out of numerous phases of sleep or shifts in sleeping positions.

The basic premise of CPAP, BiPAP, and APAP is exact for all three instances: pressured, purified air prevents the airway from contracting as people rest, enabling individuals to breathe freely.

Working of an APAP Machine

Whereas a CPAP has a single fixed configuration, an APAP may adjust to fluctuating pressure requirements by continuously detecting the amount of resistance in the breathing. The algorithms of an APAP device detect minor variations in your breath. An APAP machine’s technology lets it stay on a low setting.

An APAP device’s mechanism enables it to stay on a lower setting till a difference in breath is identified, indicating that additional airflow is required. It then regulates on its own to deliver the optimal pressure range for your sleep apnea treatment needs.

Prescription of APAP Machines

Individuals who do not achieve the intended effects from a CPAP machine or experience particular concerns with the CPAP’s consistent pressure levels are frequently recommended APAP machines. In some cases, like sleep apnea coupled with different sleep problems or sleep apnea, which just happens whenever the body moves into a particular posture, they may be recommended before CPAP equipment.

Because APAPs can alter pressure as required and then revert to a reduced level once the flare-up has subsided. They could be beneficial for persons susceptible to allergies, common cold, or other transient airway obstructions.

The Advantages of APAP Machines

The fact that you don’t have to be under the constant high pressure of CPAP machines for the entire duration is undoubtedly the most significant advantage of having an APAP. When you use an APAP machine, your total pressure is reduced considerably. This adjustable pressure option may provide more relaxation and a nicer night’s sleep for certain persons who are vulnerable to rising air pressures. If you have night-to-night variations in your air pressure requirements, APAP can assist.

• If you want to, you could use an APAP as a CPAP. Usually, APAP machines could also be adjusted to CPAP modes, enabling you to experiment with different titration therapies to see which one performs better for you.
• You’re protected if your breathing varies all through the night. Many individuals might not maintain constant breathing habits throughout the night. Thus an APAP adapts to your requirements on the go.
• Various adjustments are needed as the body changes. Variations in your health, like losing weight or growth, may necessitate altered pressure levels, which an APAP will perform automatically within the limit your physician has established.

Uses of APAP Machines in Specific Conditions:

If your Apnea Events cause a rise in the amount of REM sleep.

The throat muscles loosen while in REM sleep and could get flaccid or paralyzed, obstructing your airway. APAPs, on the other hand, can alter their pressure levels to provide more pressure in the REM phase and less pressure throughout the different sleep phases.

If throughout the night, you change sleeping postures.

Varying pressure needs can occur if you move about during the night. Many patients with sleep apnea require a higher pressure level than when resting on their sides when lying on their backs. Gravity drags loose tissues toward the end of your throat while you lie on your back, causing an obstruction. Whenever you move to the side, an APAP will instantly readjust by lowering the air pressure level.

If you’ve Been Diagnosed via a Home Sleep Test (HST).

Maybe you’ve chosen home sleep testing as a substitute because you live too far away, or your insurance coverage doesn’t pay the expenses of a complete polysomnogram and overnight sleeping research at a sleep center. If your HST reveals that you have sleep apnea, you could be ready to begin therapy with an auto-adjusting APAP right away.

Drawbacks of an APAP Machine

• APAP isn’t the best option for CPAP users with specific medical problems: Because of the periodic pressure modifications, APAP might not be the ideal choice if you have any breathing or heart problems.
• Leaks of air: Because an APAP leaves minimal opportunity for failure in the mask seal, make sure that the mask you choose is not just comfortable but also secured on your face. A faulty mask seal could be an issue if you turn around a lot while sleeping or require greater air pressure.

Differences Between APAP and CPAP Machines

The primary distinction between APAP and CPAP devices is that CPAPs have a constant pressure configuration, but APAPs automatically change to various pressures depending on your nighttime requirements. Both APAP and CPAP devices work by supplying a continuous flow of pressurized air to keep your airway from narrowing. The constant flow of air allows sleep apnea sufferers to breathe comfortably throughout the night, resulting in a restful night’s rest.

Comparison table between CPAP and APAP machines

Things to Know Before Buying an APAP Machine

When purchasing a gadget with extra functionalities, it is critical to consider the device’s components.

The inclusion of new functions to the machine improves the therapeutic benefit of the machine, lowers the time it takes to get accustomed to the process and improves the quality of a night’s sleep.

Heating and condensation of the air: Inhaling dry, cooler air damages the mucosal layers of the respiratory system, resulting in nasal obstruction, dry mouth, and cough. These negative effects are avoided by using a warmed humidifier. A humidifier is frequently fitted into such a machine.

Reduced expiratory pressure: One of the most common issues with CPAP treatment is difficulty in exhalation, which could make the patient’s adjustment to the mask more difficult and cause sleeping disturbances. The function of reducing operational pressure during the expiratory stage minimizes the frequency of unplanned nocturnal arousals dramatically.

AutoStart: This feature allows the gadget to turn on automatically after placing the mask and entering the room for the first time. When you take off the mask after a brief duration, the machine shuts off on its own.

Delaying sleep is a function that controls when a steady rise in pressure begins. The device’s therapy mechanism has yet to be determined. The device’s therapy mode is not set instantly, but rather after a period of time, and is chosen specifically for each person. The existence of this function aids the person’s restful sleep. Upon falling asleep, the machine switches to a working state and starts supplying air according to the selected specifications.

Choosing the Best Option for You

An APAP can help you overcome sleep apnea and relieve the snoring, coughing, and tiredness that come with this prevalent sleep disorder. If your respiratory habits do not fluctuate considerably throughout the night or with variations in posture, a CPAP machine may be sufficient. APAPs are typically preferable to CPAPs since they can identify minor variations in your sleep behavior and sleep postures that necessitate varied pressure levels.

Choosing the correct PAP machine is often an issue of experimentation. Usually, patients begin with a CPAP device as recommended by their doctor, but if they aren’t receiving the outcomes they want, they might transition to an APAP. However, When deciding between a CPAP and an APAP, speak with a sleep professional or expert to determine which machine is best for you.