CPAP Medical Abbreviation: A Complete Guide for Sleep Therapy Terms

To begin sleep therapy treatment, patients must understand medical terminology and abbreviations. CPAP means something yet patients find many additional sleep medicine terms and abbreviations. For confidently navigating sleep therapy terminology, patients now can refer to this quite thorough guide from Oxygen4India.

What Does CPAP Stand For?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

• C – Continuous: During sleep, maintaining consistent airway support refers to the steady uninterrupted delivery of pressurized air throughout the breathing cycle.
• P – Positive: A pneumatic splint works to prevent airway collapse since the air pressure is well above the atmospheric pressure.
• A – Airway: It particularly aims at the upper airway with the nose, throat, plus soft tissues collapsing as you sleep causing breathing stops.
• P – Pressure: Water pressure ranging from 4-20 cmH2O is measured in centimeters (cmH2O) depending on patient needs.

Through a mask interface, CPAP therapy delivers a continuous stream of pressurized air plus creates positive pressure keeping the upper airway open during sleep. Events involving obstructive sleep apnea are caused through tissue collapse that this prevents.

Common PAP Therapy Abbreviations

BiPAP – Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure:

Two different pressure levels improve comfort: higher pressure during inspiration and lower pressure during expiration.

APAP – Automatic Positive Airway Pressure:

These devices are also known as being Auto-CPAP. They automatically adjust the pressure during the course of the night because they do respond to breathing patterns.

ASV – Adaptive Servo-Ventilation:

Therapy involves adapting pressure support in cases of complex sleep apnea, based upon more recent breathing patterns.

VPAP – Variable Positive Airway Pressure:

ResMed calls its bi-level devices “variable pressure delivery” using a special term.

Sleep Study Terminology

PSG – Polysomnography:

Sleep study with thorough measuring of the brain waves and eye movements including muscle activity with heart rhythm and breathing patterns.

HST – Home Sleep Test:

At-home sleep tracking simply checks breathing, oxygen, plus heart rate.

MSLT – Multiple Sleep Latency Test:

Scheduled naps give an assessment of how quickly patients fall asleep for measuring daytime sleepiness.

MWT – Maintenance of Wakefulness Test:

Situations that require alertness need awake ability evaluation.

Sleep Apnea Measurement Terms

AHI – Apnea-Hypopnea Index:

The number of apnea as well as hypopnea events per hour of sleep is used to diagnose and classify sleep apnea severity.

RDI – Respiratory Disturbance Index:

Apneas and hypopneas in addition to respiratory effort-related arousals within each hour of sleep are included.

ODI – Oxygen Desaturation Index:

Oxygen saturation drops by specified amount many times during hour of sleep.

PLMI – Periodic Limb Movement Index:

The limb is moving periodically at that amount of times for each hour someone is sleeping.

Types of Sleep Apnea

OSA – Obstructive Sleep Apnea:

Physical blockage of that airway during sleep is causing its most common form.

CSA – Central Sleep Apnea:

The brain’s failure in order to signal to breathing muscles causes it to be a particular type. This certain kind is rarer.

MSA – Mixed Sleep Apnea:

Components obstruct and center. This combination occurs.

CSAS – Complex Sleep Apnea Syndrome:

CPAP treatment can cause central sleep apnea. It also is able to persist during the course of CPAP treatment.

Related Medical Conditions

COPD – Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease:

Combination therapy is often needed with lung disease and it uses oxygen plus PAP devices.

CHF – Congestive Heart Failure:

Sleep apnea is commonly associated with heart condition. Sleep apnea is central.

GERD – Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease:

Untreated sleep apnea often worsened into condition.

RLS – Restless Leg Syndrome:

Sleep disorder is frequent. It often happens with sleep apnea.

CPAP Mask Types & Interfaces

NP – Nasal Pillows:

Nostrils sealed by small cushions with little interface.

NM – Nasal Mask:

Cushion seals go around the nose perimeter for covering the nose completely.

FFM – Full Face Mask:

It covers the mouth, and it covers the nose. Mouth breathers should use this.

NOM – Nasal-Oral Mask:

Design is hybrid, accommodating to mouth breathing and nasal breathing.

CPAP Equipment Features

HME – Heat and Moisture Exchanger:

Equipment catching warmth plus wetness from breath out while breathing takes it back.

EPR – Expiratory Pressure Relief:

For improved comfort, the feature reduces pressure during exhalation.

Ramp – Pressure Ramp:

A feature of a system that increases the pressure from a lower point up to the prescribed level.

Pressure Measurements

cmH2O – Centimeters of Water:

CPAP pressure now is measured within standard units. They show requisite force to lift water column by given height.

IPAP – Inspiratory Positive Airway Pressure:

The pressure level is higher than when it is delivered throughout inspiration during BiPAP therapy.

EPAP – Expiratory Positive Airway Pressure:

BiPAP therapy includes a lower pressure level. That pressure is delivered at the time of expiration.

PS – Pressure Support:

The difference of IPAP and EPAP pressures of bi-level therapy.

Therapy Monitoring Terms

Usage Hours:

The number of the hours is calculated for each night. The percentage of nights in which the CPAP device is also used is calculated by someone.

Leak Rate:

Liters for each minute measures out the amount of air that is escaping from a mask interface.

Residual AHI:

The number of breathing events is measured within each hour. This measurement is taken during use of CPAP therapy.

Mask Fit:

Mask and face seal quality affected therapy effectiveness.

Insurance & Medical Equipment Terms

DME – Durable Medical Equipment:

CPAP machines’ classification category relates to supplies for insurance purposes.

CMN – Certificate of Medical Necessity:

Insurance coverage needs required documentation. CPAP equipment receives coverage from this documentation.

Compliance Period:

Coverage continuation requires showing adequate CPAP usage during an insurance-required period.

Therapeutic Trial:

First, a period confirms therapy works before approving equipment for keeps.

HCPCS – Healthcare Common Procedure Coding System:

Standardized codes are used by medical equipment billing and insurance processing.

LCD – Local Coverage Determination:

Insurance guidelines specify criteria for CPAP therapy coverage.

NCD – National Coverage Determination:

Nationwide coverage policies regarding CPAP equipment under Medicare.

Prior Authorization:

Insurance approval is needed for CPAP equipment delivery.

Sleep Medicine Terms

REM – Rapid Eye Movement:

Most dreaming occurs and breathing typically is most irregular during sleep stage.

NREM – Non-Rapid Eye Movement:

Sleep stages feature slower brain waves with more stable breathing.

Sleep Efficiency:

It is the time that is spent sleeping relative to the total time that is spent in the bed.

Sleep Latency:

Time required for sleep after lights out.

Monitoring & Measurement

SpO2 – Oxygen Saturation:

Hemoglobin saturation is typically measured by pulse oximetry.

EtCO2 – End-Tidal Carbon Dioxide:

Carbon dioxide concentrates toward end of exhalation.

Respiratory Effort:

Breathing muscle activity measurement and work of breathing.

Arousal Index:

It is the count of brief awakenings for each of the hours when one is sleeping.

Treatment & Follow-up Terms

Titration:

Optimal CPAP pressure determined through sleep study or auto-adjusting algorithms.

Therapeutic Pressure:

CPAP pressure level works to eliminate breathing events in an effective way.

Split-Night Study:

Single night sleep study includes diagnostic phase plus treatment phase.

CPAP Adherence:

Patients will comply when CPAP therapy is prescribed for use.

Download Data:

Effectiveness and usage shown within electronic information retrieved from CPAP machines.

Therapy Optimization:

Process through which one adjusts settings in order to improve comfort and effectiveness.

Mask Resupply:

Plan to routinely replace CPAP mask parts plus accessories.

Annual Evaluation:

Yearly assessment of just how effective therapy can be and just how equipment is.

Expert Support from Oxygen4India

For patients who can understand all of these medical abbreviations plus these terms they can participate much more effectively in their sleep therapy treatment. Our sleep specialists who are at Oxygen4India provide education as well as support that is thorough for the help of patients as they confidently navigate CPAP therapy.

Regarding sleep therapy terminology, equipment selection, and professional support throughout treatment, contact Oxygen4India today.

Knowledge Empowers. Understanding Improves Outcomes. Expert Support Ensures Success.