From the Guidelines
A BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) machine is a non-invasive ventilation device that delivers pressurized air through a mask to help people breathe more effectively, providing two different pressure levels: a higher pressure when inhaling (inspiratory positive airway pressure or IPAP) and a lower pressure when exhaling (expiratory positive airway pressure or EPAP) 1.
Definition and Function
A BiPAP machine is defined as a respiratory assist device that delivers inspiratory and expiratory positive airway pressure, making breathing easier for patients with certain respiratory conditions, such as sleep apnea, COPD, congestive heart failure, and neuromuscular disorders that affect breathing 1.
Key Features
The machine connects to a mask that covers the nose, mouth, or both, and settings are customized to each patient's needs. Unlike CPAP machines that deliver constant pressure, BiPAP's varying pressure levels can be more comfortable for some patients who struggle to exhale against continuous pressure 1.
Clinical Use
BiPAP therapy helps maintain open airways, improves oxygen levels, reduces the work of breathing, and can prevent the need for more invasive ventilation in some cases. The decision to use BPAP should be based on the clinician’s judgement and needs of the individual patient, particularly for patients with higher therapeutic pressure requirements than can be provided by CPAP or APAP devices 1.
Comparison to Other Treatments
While CPAP or APAP is suggested over BPAP in the routine treatment of OSA in adults, BPAP may be used as an alternative to CPAP for patients who are intolerant of high CPAP settings, with no clinically significant differences in adherence found in meta-analyses of RCTs comparing BPAP to CPAP 1.
From the Research
Definition of BiPAP Machine
A BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure) machine is a type of ventilatory support that delivers two different levels of air pressure to a patient's airways [ 2 ].
Key Features of BiPAP Machine
- It provides two different pressure levels: a higher pressure for inhalation (IPAP) and a lower pressure for exhalation (EPAP) [ 3 ]
- It allows for spontaneous breathing at any moment of the ventilatory cycle [ 2 ]
- It can be used to treat various respiratory conditions, including obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and hypoventilation disorder [ 4, 5 ]