Can someone explain how EPR reduces flow limitation?

[obstructedairway101]

Curious to understand how epr works specifically on flow limitation?i see alot of people talking about adding epr to decrease flow limitation guess I don't see how reducing expiratiratory is supposed to help decrease flow limitation can someone explain ?

[SarcasticDave94]

It's the pressure differential between exhale and inhale, this action makes your CPAP a bilevel. And EPR will act just like pressure support in the bilevel.

[Deborah K.]

For most people, EPR makes breathing more comfortable too, as it allows longer exhalation, which is more natural breathing for most folks.

[PeaceLoveAndPizza]

To add to Dave and Deborah’s responses, I have been pondering that when there are physical issues in the airway dropping pressure on exhalation makes it easier to exhale which reduces the flow limitations from pushing against too much pressure. Too little pressure differential and there is no improvement, and too much differential allows you to expel CO2 too completely which causes different issues. The trick is to find the correct amount of pressure and pressure support, which requires experimentation.

SleepRider is very knowledgeable about this topic and may want to add something we missed.

[Dodies]

Personally, I saw a load of CA's with EPR set to 3, changed it to 2 and saw an improvement, and I dont realy understand why..

[obstructedairway101]

Makes sense thanks all for your reply