Here are all the CPAP machine and other CPAP products manufacturers I could find. If you have any others, let me know in the comments.
John Moehler has a PDF giving the Who, What, Why and When of CPAP. Since I’ve been told some people want to know what the indications for CPAP are in emergency medical situations, namely when you would need CPAP in an ambulance or other EMS action, and John says what you should look for:
The application of CPAP in emergency medical services is appropriate for the following:
– Pulmonary edema
– Near drowning
Each state or service many have different indications or approved clinical applications for CPAP.
Read the whole PDF if you’d like.
Just found out about this cool combo option: Apparently, you can get a Resmed S8 Compact CPAP Machine, one of the smallest CPAP machines out there, and a Resmed HumidAire 3i Heated Humidifier, and combine the two. When brought together, the two devices combine into a Voltron-like hybrid device, bringing CPAP and humidifier in a way god never intended.
But seriously, this is a pretty useful combination of two devices that are useful in the same place. My wife needs the humidifier to survive the winter months, and if I had a CPAP machine I could use this combo to fulfill both our needs. The S8 runs $725 and the Humidaire $260, so for just shy of $1000 this system works for me.
As an aside, a guy at my old job did a sleep study Monday night and found out he has sleep apnea. I consoled him, but was also able to use the knowledge I’ve recently acquired about CPAP and sleep apnea to reassure him that the doctors have lots of options for helping him. That felt nice.
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)