(10-26-2012, 03:17 PM)patsea Wrote: Thanks to you folks I now have access to the "clinical" readings on my new ResMed Compact CPAP. I have used CPAP for 10 years.
I am having trouble finding information on the Calibration setting. Can anyone tell me what it is and how I determine what calibration I should set it at please?
Hi Patsea, 10 years is a long time for a CPAP. The average lifespan is usually around 5 years. In any case, CPAP machines have improved greatly in the last 10 years, both in comfort, noise reduction, effectiveness of treatment and data gathering capability. If you can at all afford it, it's probably time for you to get a new machine, as you're already double the normal lifespan of CPAP machines.
On the Calibration Setting, that's probably talking about the accuracy of delivered pressure. On those older machines, the pressure settings would have to be calibrated with a
manometer. Manometers are what Clinicians use to see the accurate reading of pressure your CPAP machine delivers. Based on a test with a manometer, your machine can be calibrated to provide a more accurate pressure. Over time, the machines stray from exact pressures, and need this done about once every other year or so.
But this generally doesn't apply with newer machines.
If you have a DME (Durable Medical Equipment provider) near you (perhaps the one who gave you the CPAP)... you can ask them to calibrate your CPAP. Usually, it's a quick 3-minute thing that they can do for free.
Or you can go to any one of of the online suppliers and purchase a basic manometer that will do the same thing. If you need the Clinician Setup manual for your CPAP you can request that on our Clinician Manual Page,
HERE. That manual should show you how to calibrate your CPAP machine using a manometer.
