APAP Settings and Use

APAP machines are often used by doctors to determine the correct pressure to administer to the patient using another machine, such as a BiPAP machine or a conventional CPAP machine. Sometimes, however, the patient will be issued an APAP machine to use in the home.

Often this is because the doctor needs to take further tests and uses the titration of the APAP machine as data to determine the correct settings on a CPAP or BiPAP machine. However, if the use of a CPAP or BiPAP machine is excessively irritating to a patient, a doctor may prescribe an APAP machine for the patient’s general treatment in place of a more conventional machine. This is because the APAP machine has a much more complicated form of delivering the pressurized air.

An APAP machine constantly varies its pressure to accommodate the patient’s breathing by measuring the amount of resistance the machine encounters while attempting to open the patient’s airway. Because of this, the settings are much more complicated on an APAP machine than on a conventional CPAP machine.

The settings on an APAP machine are usually set by a technician who has received data from the patient’s sleep studies, in the case of the machine being used for treatment. In this case, the machine will already be fine-tuned to the patient’s specific needs. However, if the patient is using an APAP machine to complete continued titration, then the machine will most likely be in a data collection mode, with the data of the optimal pressures being stored on a memory chip within the machine. Once the specified length of titration is complete, the doctor will remove the information stored on the chip and act accordingly.

If you wish to change the settings on your APAP machine, then you will have to activate the setup menu, which is normally inaccessible to the patient. Most machines have the ability to switch to the setup menu by following a few simple steps which can be found by using a search engine on the internet or by contacting your doctor directly. However, caution should be used when changing the settings on the APAP machine, as they may cause a loss of calibration and may lead to ineffective operation of the machine and therefore lessen the effectiveness of your treatment. Be sure to contact your doctor if the settings you have input cause the machine to malfunction or your treatment to become ineffective.

Using this type of machine is as simple as using a conventional CPAP machine. Simply attaching the hoses to the machine and your chosen face masks makes the machine ready to be used. Testing the machine in the position that you sleep in before attempting to use the machine is highly recommended so that you have time to get used to the machine before you actually begin using it. This involves placing the machine next to your sleeping area, preferably within arm’s reach, and test multiple positions to make sure that the hoses reach and the mask retains a seal.

These type machines are easy to use and provide added comfort when CPAP machines are too unaccommodating. While using the machine, keep in mind that the settings provided are optimized for you and that if you do experience discomfort because of them, it is best to consult your doctor instead of attempting to remedy the problem yourself. Always use caution when changing the settings, and be sure to test the machine and become comfortable using it before you sleep with it.