Not So Fast Using CPAPs In Place Of Ventilators. They Could Spread The Coronavirus.

HumbledPi · Mar 29, 2020

As a former manager of a home respiratory company, one of my first questions was whether or not CPAP - continuous positive airway pressure - could be used instead of a mechanical ventilator. I found several articles now that it has apparently been used in emergency situations in place of a ventilator.

This is a good article that explains why it's not only a viable solution to the ventilator shortage, but it's an extremely dangerous mechanical device to use when others are exposed to an infected patient. In short, the CPAP is an open system that vents into the air whereas a ventilator requires a patient to be intubated through a trach which is a closed system with filters that prevent aerosol contamination of ambient room air with pathogens.

https://khn.org/news/covid19-ventilator-shortage-substituting-cpaps-could-spread-coronavirus/

In the U.S., emergency plans developed by states for a shortage of ventilators include using positive airway pressure machines — like those used to treat sleep apnea — to help hospitalized people with less severe breathing issues.
While that measure could stretch the supply of ventilators and save lives, it has a major drawback. Officials and scientists have known for years that when used with a face mask such alternative devices can possibly increase the spread of infectious disease by aerosolizing the virus, whether used in the hospital or at home.

Indeed, that very scenario may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 within a Washington state nursing home that became ground zero in the United States early on. First responders called to the Life Care Center of Kirkland starting Feb. 24 initially used continuous positive airway pressure machines, often known as CPAPs, to treat residents before it was known the patients were infected with the COVID-19 virus.

During the SARS outbreak in Toronto, half of all SARS cases, including three deaths, occurred among health care workers. Some of the greatest risk arose when doctors and nurses were exposed to aerosolized virus through the use of positive airway pressure machines or other respiratory therapy devices.
Click to expand...

AmericanNationalist · Mar 29, 2020

HumbledPi said: ↑

As a former manager of a home respiratory company, one of my first questions was whether or not CPAP - continuous positive airway pressure - could be used instead of a mechanical ventilator. I found several articles now that it has apparently been used in emergency situations in place of a ventilator.

This is a good article that explains why it's not only a viable solution to the ventilator shortage, but it's an extremely dangerous mechanical device to use when others are exposed to an infected patient. In short, the CPAP is an open system that vents into the air whereas a ventilator requires a patient to be intubated through a trach which is a closed system with filters that prevent aerosol contamination of ambient room air with pathogens.

https://khn.org/news/covid19-ventilator-shortage-substituting-cpaps-could-spread-coronavirus/

In the U.S., emergency plans developed by states for a shortage of ventilators include using positive airway pressure machines — like those used to treat sleep apnea — to help hospitalized people with less severe breathing issues.
While that measure could stretch the supply of ventilators and save lives, it has a major drawback. Officials and scientists have known for years that when used with a face mask such alternative devices can possibly increase the spread of infectious disease by aerosolizing the virus, whether used in the hospital or at home.

Indeed, that very scenario may have contributed to the spread of COVID-19 within a Washington state nursing home that became ground zero in the United States early on. First responders called to the Life Care Center of Kirkland starting Feb. 24 initially used continuous positive airway pressure machines, often known as CPAPs, to treat residents before it was known the patients were infected with the COVID-19 virus.

During the SARS outbreak in Toronto, half of all SARS cases, including three deaths, occurred among health care workers. Some of the greatest risk arose when doctors and nurses were exposed to aerosolized virus through the use of positive airway pressure machines or other respiratory therapy devices.
Click to expand...

This might seem dumb or incompetent(in fact, it probably is) but as an asthmatic, I have a nebulizer. Do you think that'd be effective in anyway for the patients affected with SARS-COV-2?

HumbledPi · Mar 29, 2020

AmericanNationalist said: ↑

This might seem dumb or incompetent(in fact, it probably is) but as an asthmatic, I have a nebulizer. Do you think that'd be effective in anyway for the patients affected with SARS-COV-2?
Click to expand...

It's not a dumb question at all. Absolutely yes. I would also recommend to refill your prescription if possible because there's already a shortage on inhalers. Albuterol will relieve respiratory distress whether someone has coronavirus or asthma.

AmericanNationalist · Mar 29, 2020

HumbledPi said: ↑

It's not a dumb question at all. Absolutely yes. I would also recommend to refill your prescription if possible because there's already a shortage on inhalers. Albuterol will relieve respiratory distress whether someone has coronavirus or asthma.
Click to expand...

I definitely need to do that, so I'll contact CVS Delivery on that immediately. I'll also call my health provider to set that up.

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Not So Fast Using CPAPs In Place Of Ventilators. They Could Spread The Coronavirus.

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Not So Fast Using CPAPs In Place Of Ventilators. They Could Spread The Coronavirus.

HumbledPi Well-Known Member

AmericanNationalist Well-Known Member

HumbledPi Well-Known Member

AmericanNationalist Well-Known Member

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