Travel CPAP

Travel CPAP units are a convenient option for traveling rather than bringing your standard sized CPAP unit. For example, the ResMed AirMini is about 5 times smaller and over 3 times lighter than the ResMed AirSense 11. However, there is a tradeoff for the convenience and not all patients can tolerate a travel CPAP unit. If you purchase a travel CPAP unit, try it at home for a few days before your trip to make sure you can tolerate it to avoid packing and bringing a unit that you can not use. Here are a few things you should consider before purchasing one.

AirSense 11 AutoSet

10.21" x 3.72" x 5.45"

2.5 lbs

AirMini AutoSet

5.4" x 3.3" x 2.1"

10.6 oz

Cost

Travel CPAP units are normally not covered by insurance so most likely you will have to pay out-of-pocket. But, if you have a HSA (Health Savings Accounts) or FSA (Flexible Savings Accounts), they are eligible items you can purchase. The average cost for a travel CPAP is about $700 - $1,000.

Noise

Travel CPAP units are usually louder because the smaller motor has to work harder to generate the same therapeutic pressure as the standard sized CPAP unit. For example, the ResMed AirMini outputs about 30 dB and the ResMed AirSense 11 outputs about 27 dB. Please note that for every 1 dB increase, that is over a 7% increase in perceived loudness so the 3 dB difference results in about 23% increase in loudness from the AirMini. That is why some travel units come with a mufflers designed to reduce noise.

Recommendation

Keep your travel CPAP unit as far away from your ear as possible and use white noise or ear plugs if needed.

Humidification

To reduce their size, most travel CPAP units do not have heated humidifiers attached. Instead, they have a HME (Heat Moisture Exchanger) attached to the mask and hose that provides passive humidification by capturing patient's exhaled moisture, and releases it when the patient inhales. Heated humidifiers actively provide humidification by using electricity, heat and water. Therefore, travel CPAP units provide less humidification compared to standard CPAP units with heated humidifiers.

Recommendation

If you do not use the heated humidifier on your standard CPAP unit, then you are more likely to tolerate a travel CPAP unit without one. But if you do, the easy way to test if a HME will provide sufficient humidification for you is to purchase one and try it with your standard CPAP unit. Remember to not put water in your humidifier, turn humidity off, and turn temperature off if you are using a heated tube.

Universal HME can be purchased for about $5.

Click HERE to purchase.