I own two CPAP machines and yes they both implement bi-level/APAP features. CPAP is a bit of an ambiguous term these days; whilst there are technical differences between them, most people call all such devices CPAP machines. For instance,
To be clear, I'm talking about the ones that implement bi-level pressure. The difference is (as far as I know) primarily a matter of software; perhaps older machines can be upgraded if pricing/selling upgrades is taken out of the equation?
I've had my machines for I think a couple of years now and they were all bi-level from the start. I'm not sure when that started becoming standard or where you got that 10% figure from, you may well be right. But there are 300,000+ sleep apnea patients being treated in the UK alone. If even only 10% of them use modern machines (seems low given how much better bi-level makes it), that's still 30,000 portable ventilators available to be requisitioned at short notice. Sleep apnea patients don't have a critical need for them.
https://www.usa.philips.com/healthcare/product/HCNOCTN447/dr...
It's advertised as "CPAP & Bi-Level therapy".
To be clear, I'm talking about the ones that implement bi-level pressure. The difference is (as far as I know) primarily a matter of software; perhaps older machines can be upgraded if pricing/selling upgrades is taken out of the equation?
I've had my machines for I think a couple of years now and they were all bi-level from the start. I'm not sure when that started becoming standard or where you got that 10% figure from, you may well be right. But there are 300,000+ sleep apnea patients being treated in the UK alone. If even only 10% of them use modern machines (seems low given how much better bi-level makes it), that's still 30,000 portable ventilators available to be requisitioned at short notice. Sleep apnea patients don't have a critical need for them.