CPAP Machines

Royal Philips Electronics NV, the company that bought Respironics for $5.1 billion a few months ago, is looking for even more health care companies to buy and add to its multi-faceted healthcare conglomerate.  According to Forbes, earlier this month they bought Dixtal Biomedica e Technologia, a Brazilian firm, for an undisclosed sum, and they haven’t finished swallowing other companies whole.

The acquisition of Respironics for such a large sum shows that Philips is dead serious and can afford most of the medium firms out there.  Already owning Respironics means Philips probably doesn’t need another CPAP machine company, though if their Respironics unit is threatened by the likes of ProBasics, Resmed, Puritan Bennet, or AEIOMed, perhaps with a new type of CPAP machine or an innovative CPAP mask, Philips may have to buy them to protect its investment.

Take a look at this picture of the Swift II CPAP Mask Nasal Pillow, designed to be inserted in your nose as an accessory to Resmed’s Mirage Swift II series of CPAP Masks:

I don’t know about you, but something about that thing makes me want to run a caption contest.  How about:

Worlds Worst Brass Knuckles

Or maybe they’re sort of an extension of those finger moustache tattoos you keep seeing?  Think about it.

Anyway, if you’re wondering how it works, this image of a Resmed Mirage Swift II Nasal Pillows System complete with the pillow attached.  Imagine yourself wearing this as a CPAP mask, and the unusual product begins to make sense:

I’ve noticed people looking around lately for nasal pillows, and had to see what they were talking about.  Apparently, a nasal pillow is a part of a CPAP mask, or a feature in a CPAP mask, where the air is delivered directly into the nostrils, minimizing the amount of contact between the CPAP mask and the skin around the nose.  These can take many forms, like little standalone things that look like ear plugs for your nose (often used by Puritan Bennet masks), or something that looks like a card with two mushrooms coming out of it (often used by Resmed CPAP masks)

The American Sleep Apnea Association has a great article explaining how you can choose the right CPAP mask and headgear for your needs.  They emphasize:

• Comfort - if the CPAP mask isn’t comfortable, you may not wear it, and thus endanger your health.
• A proper seal, while not being too tight
• The right fit
• The right size
• The right style

Styles, which are mostly a matter of preference, include the more traditional triangular CPAP masks, like this Optilife CPAP mask, or a slightly larger full-face variation for mouth-breathers.  The headgear is important too, so remember to have a matching chin strap, and you can usually get it in the color of your choice.

There are many kinds of CPAP masks, and no one can agree which one is the best.  Your CPAP mask will be a matter of personal preference.  What brand/style do you prefer to use?  Does the color matter?

A new study about Obstructive Sleep Apnea shows that sleep apnea patients sleep no differently in a hospital than a hotel.  The study shows that there was no difference in sleep parameters between two groups of patients, one housed in a hotel, one in a hospital.

The study measured “sleep onset latency, sleep efficiency, REM sleep latency, total amount of slow wave sleep, and total stage 1 sleep“.

There is a growing trend of hotel-based sleep laboratories, but this study proves that there is no benefit to the patient of being housed in a hotel for a sleep apnea study.  Patients with obstructed sleep apnea are so familiar with hospital settings, due to the chronic nature of the disease, that they do not feel any less comfortable sleeping in a hospital.

Of course, things are different for those of us with CPAP Machines.  A CPAP machine user needs his machine in order to sleep properly at night, and not having that trusty Resmed equipment with a CPAP mask on your face does make a big difference.  I don’t care how comfortable a hotel is, without a Respironics or other CPAP machine, I won’t be staying there!

MSNBC has an article talking about the social implications of CPAP machines.  The writer talked with many couples in which one partner uses a CPAP mask to treat a sleep disorder, and some couples found it a libido killer, while others said the CPAP machine improved the lives, and consequently, their sex lives.

It’s a tough call, obviously.  On the one hand, you’ve got this thing strapped to your face and a CPAP machine whirring all night (at one point, the article describes it like sleeping with Darth Vader).  On the other hand, without a proper CPAP machine, the sleep apnea sufferer could die, and certainly won’t get a good night’s sleep.  With your sleep disrupted, how good could your libido be anyways?

That’s what a lot of people in the article say, that regardless of the annoyance of the actual CPAP machine and the treatment, it has made their lives much better (and possibly saved their lives), and that’s the most important thing.

Most CPAP users say they’re as matter-of-fact about the device as anyone who needs crutches, prosthetics or other aid for a serious medical condition — and that they expect romantic partners to be the same.

“I’ve never been self-conscious about it,” said Vicki Thon, a 50-year-old single mom who has balanced CPAP use and an active social life for 11 years. “I say, ‘This is what I need to be healthy.’”

I see what happens to my wife when she doesn’t get a good night’s sleep, and it isn’t pretty.  She uses a humidifier to avoid terrible sinus infections, and the noise is a pleasure, because it means less days of her being sick.  Regardless of the bulk of a CPAP machine, the benefits of having one are too important to ignore.

CPAPtalk.com is going to be running its third product challenge, pitting the Hans Rudolph V2 Full Face Mask against the ResMed Ultra Mirage Full Face Mask.  50 participants will evaluate the Hans Rudolph CPAP Masks and fill out surveys, which will be compared against the ResMed CPAP mask to determine the latest winner.

The last Product Challenge, between the Zzz-Mask full face and the Respironics ComfortFull 2 masks, was a close race with the ComfortFull 2 winning by a vote of 29 to 21. The Zzz-Mask stayed competitive in all areas of the trial. This Challenge provides manufacturers, durable medical equipment providers and doctors an insight to CPAP user preferences. The trial results could change drastically if PMI ProBasics requests a rematch after addressing the participants’ comments in regards to adding a quick-release hose adapter or new headgear clips.

Which CPAP Mask is your favorite?  Feel free to talk about your experiences in the comments.

CPAP Masks like these can be found at CPAP Mart.com, which also has a selection of CPAP Machines and other products.