title: A comparison of nine nasal continuous positive airway pressure machines in maintaining mask pressure during simulated inspiration.
abstract: Nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) "splints" the airway and prevents inspiratory collapse of the upper airway in patients with obstructive sleep apnea. Nine nasal CPAP machines were compared for their ability to maintain airway pressure at various simulated inspiratory flows. Each machine was connected to a vacuum system at 20, 40, and 60 L/min flow after it was initially set at test pressures of 5, 10, or 15 cm H2O and the system or "mask" pressures were measured. In all machines, mask pressure fell during simulated inspiration and the declines in mask pressure were as high as 5 cm H2O. Because machines varied in their ability to maintain a test pressure, it is recommended that the nasal CPAP machine used in the home be the same as that which was tested in the sleep laboratory. If a different machine is used, it may require adjustment to assure efficacy.
authors.affiliation: Sleep Disorders Center, Mount Sinai Medical Center, Miami Beach, Florida 33140.
authors.forename: M C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Demirozu
authors.forename: A D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Chediak
authors.forename: K N
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Nay
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Cohn
mesh_terms: D000399:Air Pressure; D004867:Equipment Design; D006801:Humans; D008397:Masks; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000295:instrumentation*; D012123:Pulmonary Ventilation / Q000502:physiology; D012212:Rheology; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*