If you are planning to buy a CPAP or a BiPAP machine, a lot of questions are probably running in your head, like which is the right model and what price should I be paying for it? What features should I consider and what accessories would I need?
Do not stress your mind any further as in this article, we have come up with answers to each of these questions. Let us address them one by one.
The first and foremost point that should be acknowledged is why would anyone require a CPAP or a BiPAP machine. These devices are a non-surgical method to treat obstructive sleep apnea at home.
Obstructive sleep apnea is a medical condition in which the person’s upper airway muscles which include the tongue and throat relax too much, obstructing the air to flow inside your lungs.
This triggers the brain to send signals to your body to wake up from sleep, breathe and fulfil the body’s oxygen recruitments.
You may end up getting too many times from your sleep in one night Ultimately, you will feel tired for the whole day which can result in poor concentration, lack of thinking abilities and many other serious problems.
Now, without any further ado let’s find out the steps you need to follow while buying the best CPAP machine or the best BiPAP machine.
1. Get a Sleep Test done
A few common methods to test sleep apnea are:
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Polysomnography (PSG) |
Home Sleep Test |
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Overnight sleep test conducted in a sleep lab. |
Can be taken in the comfort of your home. |
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Conducted by a qualified technician. |
There is no qualified technician. |
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The results are accurate and fully reliable |
Results are somewhat less accurate than Polysomnography |
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Expensive than Home Sleep Test |
Cheaper than Polysomnography |
The test results will then be studied by the doctor and you will be told the severity of your medical condition.
The next step is to look into treatment options for your sleep apnea. This might be
CPAP and BiPAP therapies are the most prominent Non-invasive ventilation (NIV) treatment options for sleep apnea patients. These machines pressurize the ambient air and deliver it to patients through nasal or face masks.
The blocked upper airway passage opens up as the person receives pressurized air directly in his nostrils or mouth. When abundant air reaches the lungs, the body’s oxygen requirements are fulfilled and ultimately helping the patient to have a sound sleep.
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CPAP |
BiPAP |
Meaning:
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Meaning:
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What happens when you set out to dry your clothes on a windy day? It dries out even faster, right? That happens because the water particles move away from the wind.
The same phenomenon happens in the case of a CPAP or a BiPAP machine. Unnaturally high air pressure coming directly inside the nostrils or mouth makes the airway dry. This can lead to problems such as sore throat, nasal bleeding and various allergies.
The humidifier in a CPAP/BiPAP will add moisture content to the air coming out of these devices so that you breathe humid air which will prevent dryness in the airways.
There are two types of humidifiers:
These types of humidifiers add moisture content to air at room temperature water.
A heated humidifier heats up the water before humidifying the air. This means that patients will receive warm humid air as they breathe. Warm air contains more water particles. So, using a heated humidifier will ensure that more water vapour will go into the patient's airways and he/she will feel even less dryness.
While buying a BiPAP or CPAP hose, make sure that you consider the following aspects:
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Standard Tube |
Heated Tube |
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Supplies air at room temperature. |
Heats up the air coming out of the humidifier. |
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Chances of nasal dryness despite using a humidifier. |
Very minimal chances of dryness |
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Cannot prevent rainout - the condensation that occurs as the humid air that comes from the humidifier travels through the length of the hose. |
Prevents “rain out” as it keeps the air coming out of the humidifier warm and moist. |
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Fits in most machines. So, even if you are planning to change your CPAP or BiPAP machine, you may not have to buy a new tube. |
The heated tube is machine specific. It company can not be used with the CPAP/BiPAP machine of another company.
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You have to be extra cautious while selecting the mask for your CPAP or BiPAP machine as it is going to stay on your face for the whole night.
There are rumours types of masks that you can choose from. We have listed the popular ones below:
A nasal mask will cover only your nose area. The design is minimal in most of the models and is therefore suitable for claustrophobic people or people who sleep on the sides.
In such types of masks, there are buds or prongs attached to the end of the mask that can be inserted inside the nose and hence provide an excellent grip. The design is even more minimal than a nasal mask.
However, a nasal pillow mask cannot tolerate high pressure as the air will come directly into your nostrils which will make it dry and sometimes intolerable.
Full face masks cover the entire nose and mouth area of the patients which can be an ideal choice for mouth breathers. Moreover, the air feels much more natural than the above two types of masks.
You can use this mask if you are prescribed high air pressure. But, most of the models have an extensive design with headgear covering your entire face. So, it might not be suitable for you if you are claustrophobic.
A good CPAP and BiPAP machine has the following specifications:
Pressure Settings: CPAP and BiPAP machines typically offer pressure ranges of 4 cmH2O to 25 cmH2O.
Weight: Ideal weight is 1-3 kg for CPAP/ BiPAP and 500-800 grams for Travel CPAP.
Sound: Good quality machines emit a sound below 30 decibels, equivalent to the sound of a whisper which is not enough to bother your sleep
Ramp: Through this feature, you can set a time period before sleeping in which the machine will gradually increase the air pressure. Most of the machines offer ramp time from 5- 60 minutes. Some may provide less than that.
Data tracking: Modern CPAP and BiPAP machines come with data tracking features and are well-equipped with SD cards, Bluetooth, cloud connectivity and QR code options. The data collected can be used by your physician to make further changes to your sleep apnea therapy.
8. Warranty
The majority of CPAP/BiPAP devices have a two-year warranty, for some, it might go up to 3 years. Resmed, Philips provide 2 years warranty while Oxymed is the only brand that provides home Service PAN India alongwith 2 years of warranty.
The cost of a CPAP machine varies based on the model and features. In India, the typical cost of a CPAP machine is between Rs. 25,000 and Rs 60,000.
Advanced Sleep Apnea devices will be more expensive. BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) usually cost more than Rs. 40000
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Machine Type |
Price Range (INR) |
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Manual CPAP |
Rs. 30,000-35,000 |
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Auto-CPAP |
Rs. 40,000-60,000 |
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BiPAP with S |
Rs. 30,000-40,000 |
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BiPAP with ST |
Rs. 40,000-70,000 |
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BiPAP with AVAP |
Rs. 80,000-1,20,000 |
10. Best CPAP/BiPAP machine brands in India
With abundant options available in the market, there are a few CPAP/BiPAP devices better than others. It's much easier to discover the ideal machine for your needs if you know what to search for.
List of best CPAP/BiPAP Brands in India:
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Brand Name |
Where to Buy |
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Resmed |
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Oxymed |
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Philips |
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Breas |
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BPL |
If you are still confused about which CPAP/ BiPAP machine to buy, you can use the comparison tool to compare various specifications before making a decision.
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