WHATS THE DIFFERENCE IN A BI PAP / C PAP

I HAVE USED A BIPAP FOR OVER 5 YEARS MY WIFE USES A CPAP WHATS THE DIFERENCE THEY BOTH DO THE SAME THING RIGHT?

CPAP stands for Continous Positive Airway Pressure. Continous means that the pressure delivered to the patient is the same for any given breath. BiPAP stands for Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure. Bilevel means that the pressure varies during each breath cycle. When the user inhales, the pressure is similar to CPAP. When they exhale, the pressure drops, making it much easier to breath. Inhale, pressure rises, exhale, pressure drops. These machines are commonly prescribed for patients who have difficulty tolerating CPAP. They cost more, are generally bigger but they do tend to be much more comfortable, particularly for patients that have relatively high pressure requirements. BiPAP is a registered trademark of Respironics, Inc. Other manufacturers make VPAP and Bilevel machines that provide this same basic feature. Sometimes you will see a "ST" behind BiPAP, VPAP, or Bilevel. The ST stands for Spontaneous Timed. This means that if the user does not breath on their own, the machine will initiate a breath for them. This feature is very useful in treating central sleep apnea and a host of pulmonary disorders.