About EPR

EPR stands for Expiratory Pressure Relief and it is the most advanced compliance booster available for CPAP therapy. EPR provides the patient a high level of comfort without compromising the effectiveness of therapy.

EPR is an effective alternative to CPAP therapy. However, unlike other leading CPAP alternatives, EPR features several options that allow reliable control in patient therapy while delivering a higher level of patient comfort.

Some patients find it difficult to breathe against the continuous pressure of CPAP therapy. EPR solves this problem by dropping pressure during exhalation, making the patient feel that their exhalation is more natural and comfortable.

When the patient exhales, the S8 flow generator detects the beginning of exhalation and reduces motor speed to drop pressure. The patient or clinician chooses one of three comfort levels to determine the degree by which pressure will drop:
Setting 1 = mild comfort (1cm H2O)
Setting 2 = medium comfort (2cm H2O)
Setting 3 = maximum comfort (3cm H2O)

Narcolepsy

Narcolepsy is a sleep disorder condition that causes patients to fall asleep uncontrollably throughout the day for periods lasting less than a minute to more than half an hour. Narcolepsy affects 1 in every 2,000 people. Narcolepsy occurs when the part of the brain that regulates sleep and wakefulness does not function properly, causing sudden spells of REM sleep. These sudden sleep attacks can happen at any time and last from a few seconds to 30 minutes.

Current treatments include stimulants and anti-depressants. Narcolepsy usually is a genetic disorder, although it may be associated with brain damage or neurological disease. People with narcolepsy usually start exhibiting symptoms between puberty and their mid-twenties.

Narcolepsy poses physical dangers to the people who have it. Accidents that result from falling asleep or having a catalectic episode present a real obstacle to enjoying a normal life. In addition, about 30-50% of those with narcolepsy experience depression. This number is astonishingly high because in the general population only 8% experience depression.