CPAP use for Coronavirus mitigation & severe pneumonia

[ger365]

Yep, understand about the "germs,et tel"....what I have been doing to reduse the problem is use essential oils, seems there is a group posting on that....I put a few drops of "thieves oil" on the filter to help reduce germs in the entire air passage and use it in a diffuser at night to protect my lady from possible harm. 

[Garald]

Great idea will try it tonight Thanks

[ger365]

I love this posting. I'm a "sweet young"  69 and my lady 78...we know where we stand! THANK YOU FOR THIS ! Won't be surprised if the cut off in the USA is 50...

[Yourkard]

What about posting/emailing the challenge on university's department of mechanical engineering web sites and/or to specific engineering professors. I do not know enough of any CPAP's technical details to help even an engineering student with the basic info they would need.

[Sleeprider]

What about posting/emailing the challenge on university's department of mechanical engineering web sites and/or to specific engineering professors. I do not know enough of any CPAP's technical details to help even an engineering student with the basic info they would need.

This is an interesting idea, but I think many, if not most schools are shutdown to prevent spread.  Whether graduate student researchers and professors are there, I don't know.  I do know the Philips Respironics factory in my community is expanding and hiring.  That probably suggests a ramping up of production.

[electron99]

Fantastic - and potentially vital thread.  Well done and thank you!

I was wondering about the use of your CPAP/BiPAP humidifer in this situation.  My worry would have been that it might not be such a good idea - but then I came across this today.  It was written in the context of what to do if a member of your household has COVID-19 - and how you set up their room.  The article is in USA Today and was written by Marc Lipsitch and Joseph Allen.  These guys are in the world's top ten of epidemiology, viruses etc. so are as reliable as you can get.
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Viruses survive for longer periods at low humidity, and your body performs better at moderate humidity levels. If you have a humidifier, start running it. Place the humidifier in the room where the isolated person is. The optimal relative humidity is between 40  % and 60%.
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So - my naive take is that it would be a GOOD thing to have a humidifier running with CPAP when ventilating a COVID-19 patient.  But my caution is that they were talking about humidifying a bedroom.

Any thoughts/comments?

[paulcarter5]

I have an 'extra' BiPap unit.  Since I get my equipment from the VA, they don't have you return a unit when you get an upgrade.  Should I see if my local hospital would take it?  It's old but usable....  Thoughts??

I'm over 70 with high blood pressure, COPD, heart disease, and diabetes and am trying to avoid contact with anyone.  Having stuff dropped off at my door whenever possible.  Ordering online and prepaying whenever I can!  Only doing trips to pharmacy to pick up Rx refills.  Starting midweek the Walmart Pharmacy will deliver my meds to me outside of the store which will be a plus.  I have N95 masks ordered, but the medical community has cornered the market and rightly so.

Anyway I got off track. Should I donate any equipment, viable extra hoses and masks?

Opinions??

P.S.  I also use a room HEPA filter system with ozone.  I figure it can't hurt...

[jobayer.tansim]

Hi there

I use a ResMed AirSense 10 for my sleep apnea.

Start = 8
Ramp = 5
Min = 12
Max = 18
Response = Standard
EPR = Off

EPR is a Breath Easy Feature. I have setup the machine to train my Lungs to be strong. So I have put the machine in such a configuration so that my lungs has to work hard to breath out. My 6 months average is;

AHI = 0.1
Leak = 0
Average Pressure = 13.6

From my very basic understanding of the machine capability, in case of severe Pneumonia in me, I will setup in the following configuration;

Start = 10
Ramp = 5
Min = 15
Max = 20
Response = Soft
EPR = 3

This setup will make me breath out easy thus somehow acting as a ventilator through PAP.

This is just a theory

I am 37 years old and have been using CPAP since 2016. I have been using ResMed AirSense 10 from the beginning and have very good understanding of the machine and the setup. My 1 year average AHI is 0.3 and average leak is 1L.

[Sleeprider]

I have an 'extra' BiPap unit.  Since I get my equipment from the VA, they don't have you return a unit when you get an upgrade.  Should I see if my local hospital would take it?  It's old but usable....  Thoughts??

I'm over 70 with high blood pressure, COPD, heart disease, and diabetes and am trying to avoid contact with anyone.  Having stuff dropped off at my door whenever possible.  Ordering online and prepaying whenever I can!  Only doing trips to pharmacy to pick up Rx refills.  Starting midweek the Walmart Pharmacy will deliver my meds to me outside of the store which will be a plus.  I have N95 masks ordered, but the medical community has cornered the market and rightly so.

Anyway I got off track. Should I donate any equipment, viable extra hoses and masks?

Opinions??

P.S.  I also use a room HEPA filter system with ozone.  I figure it can't hurt...

Your offer is kind, but I doubt the hospital will take an outdated BiPAP device even during an emergency, and things like your old tube and mask could not be used on patients.  I think the best use is to keep it as a backup, or offer it to a friend. Quite a few are sold on or given away on Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace and other online market places.  Many people do not have insurance, and might benefit from your gift.

[archangle]

Hey, kids, sorry for another drive-by posting, but here it is.  Got a lot of videos to watch now. 

I stumbled on this youtube series with a lot of info on ventilators.  In particular, it made me realize a bit about the differences between a "real" hospital style ventilator, and the lesser things like NIV, BPAP, CPAP, etc.  

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL...ZJFSi68UoF