What's the difference between a CPAP and BiPAP?

• Posted on 19 June 2018
• By Accessibility Medical Equipment®
• Posted in BiPAP, CPAP, Sleep Apnea
• 0

What's the difference between a CPAP and BiPAP? We will explore the basic difference in this short blog post.

CPAP - Continuous Positive Airway Pressure  

BiPAP - Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure

Both machines are commonly used to treat obstructive sleep apnea for patients with the sleep disorder, but whereas the CPAP has just one pressure setting, either manual or auto-adjusted, the BiPAP provides dual pressure settings, one for the inhale and one for the exhale of the patient.  The CPAP is generally prescribed to individuals with mild to moderate sleep apnea while the BiPAP is commonly used to treat more severe cases or individuals with additional symptoms or diagnoses for which the BiPAP is determined to offer additional benefit, such as COPD.  The masks, hoses, and other accessories are usually identical for the two devices, even interchangeable, with the functioning of the device being the only perceivable difference.  Due to the higher complexity of the BiPAP device, its cost is higher than that of a CPAP.  Both devices are usually prescribed by the patient's physician, often after a sleep study is conducted.  Accessibility Medical Equipment offers both CPAP and BiPAP devices and accessories at deeply discounted prices and requires prescriptions for both.  

PLEASE NOTE:  This blog post is not medical advice, please consult your physician if you have questions about the need for a CPAP or BiPAP system.