| Sleep apnea is characterized by interruptions in breath | | | | more and those without humidifiers are less |
| called apneas. It causes your breathing to become | | | | expensive. |
| shallow or even stop. This pause lasts for 10-20 | | | | Variable Positive Airway Pressure or VPAP equipment |
| seconds and occurs 20-30 times or more in an hour. | | | | is also known as BiPAP. It uses an electronic circuit to |
| The most common type of sleep apnea is the | | | | monitor a person?s breathing and it provides different |
| Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) where enough air | | | | air pressures for inhalation and exhalation, inhalation |
| cannot flow through the nose or mouth and the air | | | | having the higher one. This equipment is usually used |
| passage is blocked. The second type is the Central | | | | on patients with other respiratory illnesses apart from |
| Sleep Apnea (CSA) that is caused due to anomalies in | | | | apnea. The BiPAP machines are priced $1200 |
| the brain?s commands for breathing. | | | | upwards. The models with humidifiers cost more. |
| Sleep apnea is treated with the help of a piece of | | | | Automatic Positive Airway Pressure or APAP is the |
| equipment called Continuous Positive Airway Pressure | | | | most advanced form of apnea treatment. It includes |
| (CPAP). Other machines like Variable Positive Airway | | | | pressure sensors and a computer that continuously |
| Pressure (VPAP) and Automatic Positive Airway | | | | monitors the person?s breathing and increases or |
| Pressure (APAP) are also used. Some of the | | | | decreases the pressure accordingly. The average |
| companies that manufacture these pieces of | | | | price of APAP machine ranges from $600 to $800. |
| equipment are Respironics, Puritan Bennett, Fisher | | | | As with the other models those with humidifiers cost |
| & Paykel, ResMed, Tiara and Viasys. | | | | more. |
| Respironics manufactures them under the brand | | | | The accessories needed for using sleep apnea |
| name Remstar, Puritan Bennett uses the name Good | | | | treatment equipment include a headgear, nasal mask |
| Night and ResMed are the manufacturers of Auto | | | | and humidifier. Some persons experience the drying |
| Set Vantage. | | | | up of the mucous membrane. The humidifier is used |
| Continuous Positive Airway Pressure equipment | | | | to bring back the moisture. The nasal mask and |
| generates air at a constant pressure using a | | | | headgear are used to provide pressurized air to the |
| compressor. The pressure varies from person to | | | | person. The nasal mask is priced at around $120- |
| person. This air is pumped to the person through a | | | | $150. Nowadays machines having only a nasal mask |
| headgear that is worn by him covering his nose and | | | | are available. This is more convenient than the |
| mouth. These breathing aids are available in the price | | | | traditional headgear that covers that whole head and |
| range of $299 - $550. Those with humidifiers cost | | | | causes discomfort. |