CPAP Blog

If you use a humidifier with your CPAP machine, then you will have come across condensation build-up in the tube, also known as rainout. As the warm air leaves the humidifier, it loses heat all the way to the mask. In the process, the humidity turns to condensation, and water builds up in the CPAP hose. This can cause discomfort, gargling noises and affect the accuracy of the CPAP pressure being provided. In short; it is a big problem.

Previous solutions have tried to minimise the air temperature difference, with the most common choice being a hose fleece, which helps to insulate the tubing. Members of our CPAP forums will no doubt recall some rather novel attempts at tackling the issue over the years – with mixed results to say the least! However, most solutions are designed to minimise rainout rather than tackle it completely. That is where the Hybernite Rainout Control System differs – it is designed to prevent the cause of rainout in your CPAP setup, rather than just reduce it.

It is very simple - the Hybernite Rainout Control System uses a heated hose, which heats up inside. This prevent the air from cooling between the humidifier and your CPAP mask, meaning it does not form condesation, or rainout. This leaves you free to enjoy the benefits that humidification brings without having to worry about the annoying and unpleasant side-effects. It combines with almost any CPAP humidifier to form the complete humidification solution. No more rainout!

The Hybernite Rainout Control System uses a heated hose that simply replaces the regular hosing of your CPAP humidifier. It uses its own power supply, allowing it to be used with any existing humidifier that uses the standard 22mm connection. Whether you are using a ResMed, Philips Respironics, DeVilbiss or almost any other CPAP machine, you can now enjoy the full benefits of your humidification.

What are the advantages? Other than the obvious in reducing rainout, it can also help prevent your CPAP humidifier’s water chamber from running out overnight. Many have their humidifier set to maximum to compensate for heat loss, but with the Hybernite the air is kept warm so there is less need to crank it up. Lower setting = less water being used. Conversely, those who have their setting lower than they would like to prevent rainout can also enjoy warmer temperatures without that fear.

The complete Hybernite Rainout Control System is available now for £59.95, including both the power supply and the heated hose. If the heated hose needed replacing, as all hoses do after a while, then that can be replaced separately for £32.95 – only slightly more than a regular hose. For a product that helps eliminate rainout, improve comfort and enhance the quality of your CPAP therapy, we’d say that isn’t a bad deal at all!

The Hybernite Rainout Control System is available through www.EU-PAP.co.uk – get yours now!

What’s lurking inside your CPAP?

Aside from changing the filters, there’s little you can do to keep the inside of your CPAP machine clean and hygienic. Over time, they begin to accumulate dust and others small particles, which is turn become a breeding ground for bacteria. As the pictures on this page show, the inside of a CPAP machine can become very dirty. It is inevitable as a result of what they do – they suck in air, and therefore also anything that is lingering in the air will come with it. While a filter will keep out the majority, it cannot keep out 100% of particles.

The easiest comparison to make would be to a computer. If you open it up for the first time in a while, you’ll find many of the components will be covered in dust sucked in my the fans. A CPAP machine is no different and similarly have a circuit board inside, which is a magnet for dust. In this dust bacteria can lurk and breed. Consequently, some will then find their way into your airflow, the tubing, the mask, and your lungs.

Simple steps towards solving the problem

If the introduction to this post sounds alarmist, that’s because it is. We want all CPAP users to be aware that dust and bacteria will build up inside their machines over time and therefore be vigilant about preventing it and dealing with it regularly. The first step is obvious, but often overlooked: clean and change the filters.

Almost all manufacturers recommend cleaning and changing your filters regularly. As an example, Respironics recommend cleaning the coarse filter every two weeks, and replacing it with a new one every six months. It is very important to do so, as dirty or worn filters will not be effective at blocking particles and bacteria from entering the system.

CPAP Guardian – sterilize your CPAP machine safely and effectively

The second step to take is to sterilize your CPAP machine. Because you are not allowed to open it up to clean is properly, the next best step is simply to sterilize it. Most CPAP users will regularly clean their mask and hosing, which is highly recommended, but this job is then undermined by blowing dirty air from the machine straight back into them.

CPAP Guardian bags provides back with a built-in Ozone Sterilizer. You simply put your machine in the bag, and the CPAP Guardian fills it with Ozone – a gas which kills all living organisms. However, after about 30 minutes the Ozone particles disintegrate into regular oxygen, leaving no harmful gasses or residues, but one completely sterile CPAP machine. You can use it to disinfect your entire system in one go, including your mask and tubing.

Keep your CPAP machine off the floor

Many people choose to keep their CPAP on the floor; either to reduce noise, reduce condensation in the mask or there’s simply not enough room on a bedside cabinet. However, if you CPAP is on the floor it is inevitably going to suck in more dust and dirt; whether your floor is wood, laminate or carpet it will harbour more dust and bacteria than a table. If you CPAP machine has to be low, see if you can find a stand to raise it a few inches off of the floor. After all, the first CPAP prototype was made with a vacuum cleaner motor, so they have some serious suction and will pull in any microbes in the surrounding area.

Keep your machine clean, keep yourself healthy

Keeping your CPAP as clean as possible is vital for preventing health problems caused by it. Try to keep your CPAP off of the floor to minimise the amount of dust it sucks it, and ensure you clean and replace the filters in your machine as recommended by your manufacturer. By following these two simple steps you will greatly reduce the amount of microbes entering your system in the first time.

However, over time it is inevitable some will accumulate however careful you are. We would therefore recommend getting your machine sterilized to ensure that it is not harbouring any bacteria. The CPAP Guardian bags provide the most effective and safe method of doing so currently, and they have the added bonus of making a great travel bag for your system as well. Overall, do whatever you can to ensure your air supply remains clean and safe, and ensure you stay as healthy as possible in the process.

There have been a few interesting stories involving Sleep Apnoea over the last couple of weeks, so here’s a quick round-up of what’s been going on.

Probably the most important news is the story we covered in our last blog entry; that of an Australian Sleep Clinic showing a direct link between weight and Sleep Apnoea. After studying 20 years of records, they found unquestionable correlation between increasing weight and more severe Sleep Apnoea. Although the link has long been made, it’s the first time that it has had some hard statistics to prove it.

On a similar note, there was a story in the Daily Mail last week about a girl who has been diagnosed with Sleep Apnoea and has vowed to lose 5 stones in the next year. Doctors had warned her that her condition could kill her – which may sound a little over the top as to many it just results in snoring and being tired during the day. It is very easy to forget that Sleep Apnoea itself can be fatal, and for a girl who weighs 16 stone at just 14 years of age that risk is very apparent.

A study by the Walter Reed Army Medical Centre in America, a respected hospital for ex-service people, has conducted a study which showed that weight-loss surgery does not eliminate Sleep Apnoea. 24 patients were from an average BMI of 52 down to an average of 32 but only 1 had their Sleep Apnoea “cured” after the gastric-band operation. It is worth noting that a BMI of 32 is still considered obese so it is perhaps not surprising that they still had OSA, but it is an interesting study nevertheless.

Although Sleep Apnoea itself can be fatal, as mentioned above, the major problem with it is that it can lead to other health problems. A recent study has shown that Sleep Apnoea sufferers are 58% more likely to develop heart disease. This is most likely due to the increased strain placed on the heart when an apnoea occurs. So your CPAP therapy is not only helping you sleep soundly, it could also be reducing your chances of developing heart disease – a win-win situation if ever there was one!

Those who drive while tired are risking their insurance policies according to a report. A study of 800 drivers conducted by Direct Line found that one in ten people admitted to driving while tired at least once a week, with 74% having done so at least once over the last year. Daytime tiredness is one of the main Sleep Apnoea symptoms, so if you feel tired all the time then it is worth getting it checked out – especially if you still feel tired after 8 hours sleep.

All of these news stories were broadcast via our Twitter account shortly after they first broke. If you follow us on Twitter, then you can be kept up to date with the latest Sleep Apnoea stories as soon as they happen. We’ll do a fortnightly round up on this blog so that we can keep all of you up to date with what’s happening in the world of Sleep Apnoea. If you come across an interesting news story that you’d like us to publicise, drop us a comment on our CPAP Blog or on our Intus SDB Twitter and we’ll spread the word!