CPAP vs BIPAP

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) and Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) are machines that help treating sleep apnea and respiratory diseases. Though these two have the same function, they come with many differences.

One main difference that is seen between CPAP and BiPAP is with the air pressure. While the CPAP machines deliver only one level of air pressure, the BiPAP machines have two different levels of air pressure.

The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure machine helps in breathing by applying continuous pressure to the airways. On the other hand, Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure exerts high pressure when the patients breathe in and delivers low pressure when they breathe out.

The BIPAP machines reduce the pressure when exhaled and increases pressure when inhaled, which cannot be adjusted with a CPAP machine. While the air pressure in the BiPAP machine is adjusted accordingly, it is not so with a CPAP machine.

While using Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines, the persons have to use more force for exhaling against the extra pressure. As such it is quite tiresome for persons, especially those having neuromuscular diseases. The Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (BiPAP) adjust the air pressure, they are easy to handle and adapts to the users.

The BiPAP machine comes with dual pressure adjustments, it helps patients to get more air in and out without much effort. On the other hand, CPAP machines demand extra effort from the patients to get in and out the air.

Australian Professor Colin Sullivan developed CPAP in 1981. BiPAP was developed in the 1990s.

While CPAP is beneficial for persons who have severe sleep apnea, BiPAP is more beneficial for persons who suffer from certain lung diseases like COPD. CPAP also comes cheaper than the BiPAP treatment. Moreover, CAPP machines are larger and noisier when compared to BiPAP machines.

Summary

1.While the CPAP machines deliver only one level of air pressure, the BiPAP machines have two different levels of air pressure.
2.The CPAP helps in breathing by applying continuous pressure to the airways. The BIPAP exerts high pressure when the patients inhale and delivers low pressure when they exhale.
3.While the air pressure in the BiPAP machine is adjusted accordingly, it is not so with a CPAP machine.
4.CPAP machines demand extra effort from the patients to get in and out the air.
5.While CPAP is beneficial for persons who have severe sleep apnea, BiPAP is more beneficial for persons who suffer from certain lung diseases like COPD.

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