CPAP machines & power inverters

I have the Respironics REMstar Pro C-Flex w/SD card to dload data for compliance. SNI has an awesome program for us. The company they contract with sends supplies every 6 months like clockwork. They also issued a 12v power cord that the machine actually is designed to run on. the 120v cord has the stepdown powerpack to power it. Prior to getting the 12v cord, I used the roadpro ones they sell at the truckstops. Worked best with the truck idling. if on batts only the power flucuated. Then SNI issued us 300w pure sine wave inverters. THAT is what I would recommend. Pure Sine wave, provides constant steady juice. Just make sure the trucks batts are in decent shape to get you through the night. Best advice though is to get a 12v cord for the machine you choose. Or choose one that has that as an option. Kepe the 120v cord for hotel and home use.

 

I had a Cobra 1,500 watt inverter and a Respironic Cpap, worked fine. Motor didn't suffer any damage, considering the intervter was not sine wave. Was a little concerned because this a very modern cpap. She works great with 3,000+ hours on it.

 

ResMed s9 is a good unit. Has 12v cord available.

The really neat new cpap machine is the Transcend portable battery cpap by Somnetics.

Has 12v or 110ac power cords and has a battery option.

They just came out with a humidifier.

Saw them at MATS at the Phoenix Sleep Solutions booth.

 

I want to get the S9 which is called an Apap by some. Instead of an RT setting it the Apap adjusts itself to the person using it. They are suppose to be more comfortable and offer a better sleep. With tax about $900. Through insurance probably $3000.

 

Condo..

There's lots of auto titration mode cpap (aka apap) on the market. Most modern pap can be used in either the set pressure mode cpap or in apap mode. It is how the sleep specialist writes the prescription.

You don't want to have an apap set wide open 4-20 unless you have to. It takes an apap a while to work up to pressure. During this time you are still having apneas. The better way is to have the apap set for a narrow range of pressure around your normal pressure. This can be from download of data or an in lab titration study.

What can feel nicer is exhalation pressure relief (aka cflex on ResMed machines) This is a feature that backs off pressure when you exhale.

The big thing an apap does is save the cost of s titration sleep study in the lab at upwards of $2,000.

The Resmed s9 is a sweet machine. It has an optional heated hose (climateline) with moisture sensors in the hose just before the mask. If you like or need lots of moisture you can make it like a nice warm swamp if you want. The problem is that it draws a lot of power so unless you are using an apu or gen set running on battery alone while parked is an issue.

 

Which guy?

Whether or not a home sleep study is appropriate for a negative diagnosis of sleep apnea is a current medical debate.

Some sleep specialists say no..some say yes. A complicating factor is what exact home study equipment was used. Example the nox t3 and Resmed apnea link are sophisticated home study units. An Ares is a simple type IV study that I would be uncomfortable with a negative diagnosis.

The second problem is that home study can be easily falsified. There are what is called chain of custody where at least they know who took the test.

This is an issue that was raised in comments to the FMCSA MRB on the 2012 MSCAC-MRB reccomdations. They decided not to address the issue.

It probably will be a big deal when they get to the rulemaking process.

A hst is perfectly acceptable to diagnose and begin treatment. You can go straight to an apap. One problem is a fairly rare type of apnea. . Central apneas are where the brain forgets to tell you to breathe. It only shows up in 1-2% of all sleep apnea. An hst will not diagnose centrals.

You need to get good follow up treatment looking at the compliance data looking for tell tale signs of centrals.

There is another poster to this forum who is studying for the Rpgst boards to become a sleep tech. If I see him I'll suggest he chime in on this thread.