Sleep studies have been helpful in diagnosing hundreds of patients all around the world with sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Many patients begin to worry, wondering what can be done to manage and treat their sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. Positive Airway Pressure devices or PAP devices can be a great treatment option for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders.
Two of the distinct categories of PAP devices are BiPAPs (also known as Bi-level CPAPs or VPAPs) and CPAPs. Knowing the differences between the BiPAP vs CPAP machines is important to determine what machine would be the most effective and comfortable for you. Knowledge is power and it is very important to be well informed on the basics of these two different types of machines when discussing treatment options with your physician.
The following information below will provide you with the necessary information between BiPAP vs CPAP machines. This includes how they differ from a technical perspective, why people use one or the other, and a summary of the general pros and cons of each machine. This will allow you to have a productive and informed discussion with your physician so you can be sure to determine the best treatment for you and your specific needs.
What is a BiPAP Machine?
A BiPAP Machine is a machine that that helps sleep apnea and other sleep disorder patients to breathe much easier. The BiPAP Machine connects to the face through a tube and a mask. When this connection takes place, the machine uses air flow to push oxygen into the face which allows the patient to breathe much easier. A BiPAP Machine can be used to treat other health conditions as well including but not limited to cardiac arrest patients, pneumonia and much more.
What is a CPAP Machine?
A CPAP Machine is a machine that is used to help in the treatment for sleep apnea and other sleep disorders. The machine works by providing a constant and steady air flow to the patient via a tube and mask that is attached to the machine. Using a CPAP Machine can help you in treating your sleep apnea, other sleep disorder and some other health issues as well.
BiPAP vs CPAP Machines: What is the Difference?
While BiPAP and CPAP Machines are generally used to treat the same disorders they are also used for their own treatments as well. BiPAP Machines are generally used to treat sleep apnea cases that involve respiratory illnesses and the cases that involve heart issues. CPAP Machines are generally used to treat sleep apnea cases that involve respiratory illnesses and neuromuscular diseases.
The other difference is within the air flow of the two different machines. The BiPAP Machines use two different air flow pressures which generally provide a higher air flow during inhalation and a lower air flow during exhalation. With the use of two air flows the patients are able to breathe easier. The CPAP Machines have one consistent pressure that does not change.
Why are BiPAP Machines Usually Chosen Over CPAP Machines?
Generally patients with sleep apnea, other sleep disorders and respiratory illnesses that are prescribed a sleep apnea machine prefer using a BiPAP machine. The main reason for this choice is due to a more comfortable treatment experience as the lower pressure applied during exhalation allows the patient to breathe much easier. There are many more pros and cons of both the BiPAP machines and the CPAP machines which are listed below. However, it is important to remember that no matter what sleep apnea disorder, other sleep disorder or respiratory illness you or someone you love has been diagnosed with, treating that disorder or illness properly is the first step to making yours or their life that much better.
Take a relaxing breath today with one of the following top BiPap machines or CPAP machines and find that your breathing will ease up soon after using the sleep apnea machine you have chosen.
Be sure to check out the most informative article on the best BiPAP machines to know which one is right for you.
What are the pros of BiPAP vs CPAP Machines?
Even though the BiPAP machines have been slightly higher rated, both the BiPAP machines and the CPAP machines have pros and cons about them. Here we will discuss some of the pros of both the BiPAP machines and the CPAP machines so that you can see them side by side.
Overall Pros of the BiPAP Machines
- Fantastic Pressure Features
- Many Unique Features
- Auto-Adjusting Bi-Level Pressure
- Soft Air Flow
- Great Data Recording Software and Data Storage
- Multiple Operation Modes
- Sleep Assessment Monitoring
- Very Comfortable for Sleep Apnea, Other Sleep Disorder and Respiratory Illness Patients
Overall Pros of the CPAP Machines
- Mostly Quiet Machines
- Good Data Capabilities
- Easy Use for Most of These Machines
- Good Setup on Some of These Machines
- Small Size/Lightweight
- User Friendly Technology
As you can see when it comes to BiPAP vs CPAP reviews above there are many pros to both the BiPAP Machines and the CPAP machines.
Choosing a BiPAP machine or a CPAP machine should not be all consuming. You can start by looking over the pros above to begin your decision. Below we will discuss the cons of both the BiPAP machines and the CPAP machines to help you narrow down your choice a little further.
Make sure to check out the most informative article on the best CPAP machines to see which CPAP is the best for you.
What are the Cons of the BiPAP vs CPAP Machines
Everything in this world has pros and cons and that goes no different for BiPAP machines and CPAP machines. When choosing a machine that will be right for you in treating and managing your sleep apnea, other sleep disorder or respiratory illness you deserve to know about the cons that may affect the way that your treatment goes. Below are the list of cons for BiPAP machines and CPAP machines so that you can see them side by side.
Overall Cons of the BiPAP Machines
The BiPAP Machines have many pros as you can see above and just as with everything else these machines do have some cons as well. The cons of the some of the BiPAP machines are the following:
- Some Noise Complaints (Very Minimal)
- Some of These Machines Are Larger Than Some Patients Would Like
- Some of These Machines (Very Minimal) Are Heavier Than Some Patients Would Like
As stated above everything in this world has cons so in reality these few listed cons are nothing compared to how many pros BiPAP machines have.
Overall Cons of the CPAP Machines
The CPAP machines also have cons as well. While you can see the pros of the CPAP machines above below we will mention the things that a sleep apnea, other sleep disorder or respiratory illness patient may not like as much. The cons of the CPAP machines are:
- Some Noise Complaints of These Machines
- Not As Much Exhalation Relief as Many BiPAP machines
- The Air Flow on These Machines Is Not As Great As The Air Flow On The BiPAP Machines
The CPAP machines have cons just like anything else so if you are looking for something to treat your sleep apnea that is a little bit more efficient you may want to go with a BiPAP machine for your treatment. If you don’t mind these cons then maybe a CPAP machine may be for you.
Summary of the BiPAP vs CPAP Machines
Are you looking for BiPAP vs CPAP reviews? Above are the listed top rated BiPAP machines and the top rated CPAP machines. After these ratings you can see a great list of the pros and the cons of both the BiPAP machines and the CPAP machines side by side. This way you can choose what matters to you most in your treatment such as being comfortable, having a great air flow with your machine, having a smaller or more lightweight machine and much more. Then you can take those considerations and put them into effect when you are choosing which sleep apnea machine would work best for you: a BiPap machine or a CPAP machine.
Besides choosing the right CPAP and BiPAP machine, you also need to take proper care of it with a regular cleaning schedule. These machines, the masks that you use with them as well as the tubes get a very dirty with regular use. Make sure to check out my favorite CPAP/BiPAP machine cleaner called the SoClean 2.
Having sleep apnea, other sleep disorders and/or respiratory illnesses is very unfortunate for all those involved and this does not just include the patient. It also includes those in their family as well. These disorders and illnesses can greatly decrease the amount of sleep that the patient and those around them get each night. Less sleep causes a decreased quality of life due to being exhausted, changing of moods and so much more. However, there are options for treating and managing your sleep apnea, other sleep disorder and/or your respiratory illnesses. Two of those options are BiPAP machines and CPAP machines. There have been many reviews done on both of these types of machines and there are pros and cons of each of the machines. Above you can see why BiPAP machines are generally chosen as a treatment option over the CPAP machines. However, there would not be CPAP machines available if they did not help in treating and managing sleep apnea, other sleep disorders and respiratory illnesses as well.
When it comes to managing and treating your sleep apnea, other sleep disorders and/or respiratory illness follow the above pros, cons, benefits, specifications and more to make your determinations and your choice on which type of machine will work the best for you. Every sleep apnea disorder, other sleep disorder and respiratory illness are all unique and every patient has their own set of preferences when it comes to dealing with what they want for their treatment. Choose what works best for you and don’t compromise that! You know what you want and if you choose a machine that works for you, stick with it! If you choose one and it doesn’t work well for you then you can always change it. What will you choose: BiPAP machines or CPAP machines? Now check out which are the best BiPAP machines and best CPAP machines. Some other comparison articles that you guys might find helpful are my CPAP vs APAP article as well as my VPAP vs CPAP article.
On top of BiPAP and CPAP machines, you will also need a mask to attach to it. Choosing the right mask is one of the most important things to getting a fantastic night sleep while using a CPAP or BiPAP machine. Check out some helpful articles including: my favorite CPAP masks, some of the most comfortable masks on the market today as well as the best masks if you happen to be a side sleeper! I hope you liked my BiPap vs CPAP article! Sleep well everyone!
Additional helpful articles
After you read this article be sure to check out these other helpful and informative articles all in one spot to help you find the right equipment for your sleep apnea treatment so you can spend more time on the things that really matter to you: