CPAP News Letter - Issue: 2



Greetings:


The new Resmed Sullivan 7 machines were released for sale August 5, 2002. The new units available are the S7 Autoset Spirit and the S7 Elite. In addition to being smaller, lighter and quieter, these machines feature integrated heated humidification.

There are two unique features that these Resmed machines introduce to the market place. First the Elite, which is a memory CPAP with automatic altitude compensation, auto on and off, auto voltage switching, has the ability be upgraded to become an Autoset Spirit CPAP. This is done using software that is purchased over the internet. The details of this process are not yet available but the functionality is built into each S7.

The second new, innovative feature that S7 Elite brings is that it records specific sleep disordered breathing events. The S7 user can use the Autoscan version 4.0 software to accurately determine the effectiveness of CPAP therapy. Previously, this could only be done using a Auto CPAP or undergoing a sleep study.

If you are a fan of the S6 Elite or the Autoset-T, better start shopping soon. These are scheduled to go out of production in the next 90 days. The S6 Lightweight has not been replaced and should continue for some time.

Heated humidification for CPAP is rapidly becoming a standard. Like any technology, heated humidification adds a bit of complexity to CPAP use. One of the biggest issues is water accumulation in the cpap hose. As the humidified air cools, it condenses in the hose. Fisher & Paykel has written an excellent article on Ambient Tracking, their method of preventing this problem. You can see it at

http://www.cpap-pro.net/faq/AmbientTracking/AmbientTracking.shtml

Devilbiss has added a Gel Cushion and Forehead Pad option for their Serenity Mask. Owners of this modular mask may want to try out these new components.

That’s it for now. Have a great month!

John