AutoCPAP

AutoCPAP, short for adaptive or auto-titrating CPAP, is a mode of positive airway pressure therapy used to treat obstructive sleep apnea. Unlike fixed CPAP, which delivers a single prescribed pressure throughout the night, autoCPAP automatically adjusts the delivered pressure within a user-specified range to maintain airway patency as sleep stages, position, and respiratory events change.

Most autoCPAP devices allow a pressure range, for example from about 4 to 20 cm H2O. The device continuously monitors breathing flow, snoring, and other indicators of airway resistance. Using algorithms, it increases pressure during obstructive events or flow limitation and decreases pressure when breathing is stable, with safeguards to prevent abrupt changes. Many models also include features such as ramp start, humidification, and leak management to optimize comfort and seal.

Advantages of autoCPAP include improved comfort and adherence, the potential for better control of residual sleep-disordered breathing, and reduced need for separate titration studies. By auto-adjusting, the device can tailor therapy to nightly variations in posture, sleep stage, and airway collapsibility.

Limitations and considerations include reduced suitability for central sleep apnea or complex sleep apnea, where mixed or central events predominate. Device misinterpretation of leaks or atypical breathing patterns can lead to inappropriate pressure changes. Some patients may still require a fixed pressure once optimal settings are identified. AutoCPAP is a medical device prescribed by a clinician and is typically used at home with data that can be reviewed by healthcare providers for ongoing management.