CPAP is continuous positive airway pressure. It may be prescribed by a doctor to treat a disorder such as sleep apnea. Usually a person has to undergo a sleep study before CPAP will be ordered. CPAP helps by keeping the airways open and improves breathing. Machines for home use include the Respironics CPAP machine. Its important to understand how to set or adjust the pressure on your unit. Show Get familiar with the machine. Locate the on and off button and the two user buttons, which allow you to move into different menus. Find the ramp button, which you use to select the setting you want when in a particular menu. There is also a display screen on the front of the unit where you can view your settings. How to Adjust the Airflow on a ResMed CPAP S6Plug the power cord of the Respironics CPAP unit into the wall outlet. Pull the other end of the power cord out of the back of the machine. Hold down the two user bottons on the front of the machine for a few seconds while simultaneously plugging the power cord into the back of the machine. This will allow you to enter the therapy setup menu. Press the user button on the right to access the "Choose the Mode" screen on the display menu. How to Adjust the Pressure on the ResMed S8 Compact CPAPChoose the mode. Respironics machines have two modes, CPAP and C-Flex. Your doctor will prescribe one of the modes for you. Press the ramp button to select either CPAP or C-Flex as your mode. Set the pressure. Press the user button on the right to get to the "Set the Pressure" display screen. Use the ramp button to set the pressure your doctor ordered. The pressure can be set from 4 to 20. Keep in mind that as you hit the ramp button numbers will appear on the display screen. Each time you hit the button you will increase the pressure by one. Press the ramp button until the correct pressure appears. WarningsDon't change you CPAP pressure without talking with your doctor. A specific pressure was predetermined through your sleep study. Be aware Respironics makes a few different models of CPAP machines. Each machine's display screen may vary slightly. Philips-Respironics PR System One (REMstar Auto, REMstar DS150, BiPAP ST, BiPAP AVAPS, BiPAP Auto with Bi-Flex, BiPAP Pro with Bi-Flex, REMstar Pro with C-Flex & REMstar Plus): Supply power to the device: first, plug the socket end of the AC power cord into the power supply. Then plug the pronged end of the AC power cord into an electrical outlet that is not controlled by a wall switch. Finally, plug the power supply cord's connector into the power inlet on the back of the device. Once the device is powered, the home screen appears (it is a large box on the screen with four little boxes you can select by turning the control wheel). Turn the wheel to toggle between the 4 options and highlight "setup". Once setup is highlighted press and hold both the control wheel and ramp button on the device for at least 5 seconds. You will hear a double beep and the provider mode screen will appear. Also, you should remove the smart card prior to making adjustments, otherwise it will revert to the previous settings. Once in the provider menu toggle to setup again and scroll through the options and pressure settings should be a choice in the menu. Download Article Download Article Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by not breathing continuously while sleeping, but rather breathing irregularly in starts and stops. It can result in loud snoring, extreme fatigue and daytime somnolence due to sleep deprivation.[1] One treatment is using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine. When you use a CPAP machine, a mask is needed while sleeping. The mask is connected to a machine that produces air pressure, which helps keep your airways open and improves the quality of your sleep. In order to have this machine available a diagnosis from your physician of obstructive sleep apnea is needed. Also, a sleeps study (polysomnography) is needed to conclude that this is the condition causing secondary symptoms. If you are concerned that the pressure setting isn't right, consult your doctor again to see how you can rectify it.
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Did this article help you?Get all the best how-tos! Sign up for wikiHow's weekly email newsletter Subscribe You're all set! Can I adjust my CPAP pressure myself?Air pressure calibration on CPAP machines is done through a process called titration. So you are advised against trying to adjust the air pressure of a CPAP machine on your own. Also, never get the air pressure adjusted without a medical prescription.
How do I manually adjust my CPAP pressure?Using the MENU button, advance to the pressure setting adjustment, then simultaneously depress the UP and DOWN arrows and the MENU button for at least one second until the display blinks, then release all buttons. You may advance the CPAP pressure in 0.5 cmH2O increments using the UP or DOWN arrows.
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