Glossary

Inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) is adjusted for each inspiration with a goal to maintain a moving target ventilation set at 90% of the patient’s recent average minute ventilation.

Arterial blood gas (ABG) refers to the levels of oxygen and carbon dioxide in the blood, from an artery. ABG test results help your doctor understand how well your lungs move oxygen into and remove carbon dioxide from your bloodstream.

COPD stands for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. COPD is not one disease; it consists of several respiratory diseases. The most common forms of COPD are emphysema and chronic bronchitis. COPD is characterized by progressive shortness of breath, chronic cough, and mucous production.

Experts in client management, their most important responsibility is to stay in touch with Careica’s various clients to ensure that services are provided in a timely manner. In addition, the coordinator will make sure that each client is satisfied with Careica’s service and products.

An electronic medical record (EMR) is an office-based system that enables a health care professional, such as a family doctor, to record the information gathered during a patient's visit. This information might include a person's weight, blood pressure and clinical information, and would previously have been hand-written and stored in a file folder in a doctor's office.

Careica’s home oxygen professionals are oxygen technicians and registered respiratory therapists who are specially trained to take care of all your home oxygen needs. Visiting your home, they set up and ensure you understand your home oxygen system then assess your oxygen therapy and maintain your equipment on an ongoing basis.

An oxygen concentrator produces and delivers medical grade oxygen by:

• pulling air from the surrounding room air in the concentrator
• removing nitrogen from that air to create medical grade oxygen
• sending that oxygen through a flowmeter to you via a nasal cannula or a mask

An oxygen conserving device (OCD) attaches to all portable oxygen cylinders, delivering oxygen only when you breathe in, therefore conserving the amount of oxygen you use. With an OCD you can travel longer and use either smaller or fewer portable cylinders.

A portable oxygen concentrator (POC) works like your home oxygen concentrator by extracting oxygen from room air, but it fits in a space about the size of a small suitcase.

Registered Nurse (RN).

Respiratory therapists (RTs) are highly skilled healthcare professionals. They care for patients by evaluating, treating, and maintaining cardiopulmonary (heart and lung) function. Respiratory therapists have specialized medical expertise and use advanced medical technology. They are educated to treat all age groups, from newborns to the elderly.

Experts in client management, their most important responsibility is to stay in touch with Careica’s various clients to ensure that services are provided in a timely manner. In addition, the coordinator will make sure that each client is satisfied with Careica’s service and products.

An electronic medical record (EMR) is an office-based system that enables a health care professional, such as a family doctor, to record the information gathered during a patient's visit. This information might include a person's weight, blood pressure and clinical information, and would previously have been hand-written and stored in a file folder in a doctor's office.

Similar to CPAP, however the pressure level is adjusted according to proprietary algorithms to minimize apneas or hypopnea events related to airway obstruction. Minimum and maximum pressures are set by the therapist/clinician.

An advanced Bilevel machine where inspiratory (IPAP) and expiratory (EPAP) positive airway pressure are adjusted based on proprietary algorithms to minimize airway obstructive events.

Similar to CPAP, however two different airway pressures are used during the respiratory cycle, inspiratory (IPAP) and expiratory (EPAP) positive airway pressure.

Experts in client management, their most important responsibility is to stay in touch with Careica’s various clients to ensure that services are provided in a timely manner. In addition, the coordinator will make sure that each client is satisfied with Careica’s service and products.

A simple mechanical aid (machine) that keeps your airway pressure at set value throughout your respiratory cycle. It is the gold standard used for treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

An electronic medical record (EMR) is an office-based system that enables a health care professional, such as a family doctor, to record the information gathered during a patient's visit. This information might include a person's weight, blood pressure and clinical information, and would previously have been hand-written and stored in a file folder in a doctor's office.

Expiratory positive airway pressure is the level of positive airway pressure (PAP) applied when you breathe out while attached to a PAP machine, such as CPAP and Bilevel PAP.

Inspiratory positive airway pressure is the level of positive airway pressure (PAP) applied when you breathe in while attached to a PAP machine, such as CPAP and Bilevel PAP.

Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) means your breathing stops several times during sleep due to the collapse of tissues in your upper airway. This blockage stops your breathing and prevents air from getting to your lungs, which reduces the oxygen to your body.

An oral appliance fits partially or completely in your mouth. These appliances look similar to orthodontic retainers or athletic mouth guards. Oral appliance therapy effectively treats snoring and mild to moderate sleep apnea.

An apnea is a complete or partial airway obstruction, lasting 10 seconds or more, that stops breathing (also referred to as pauses in breathing).

An obstruction is concerning because it sets off a cascade of events in our body to open the airway back up. These events, when repeated throughout the course of the night for years, can contribute or lead to serious medical conditions.

Sleep clinicians treat a number of breathing difficulties occurring during sleep also known as Sleep Disordered Breathing (SDB). SDB can range from frequent loud snoring to Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA).

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is a general term that includes several chronic conditions that cause disruptions to breathing (pauses or stops), many times throughout the night.

These pauses in breathing may result in daytime sleepiness or fatigue that interfere with a person’s ability to function and reduces their quality of life. Symptoms may include snoring, pauses in breathing described by bed partners, and disturbed, restless sleep.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is by far the most common form of sleep-disordered breathing, and is associated with many other health risks, such as increased blood pressure, and an increased risk of stroke.

The normal volume of air you displace between normal inhalation and exhalation.

Inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) is adjusted to achieve a target tidal volume set by the therapist/clinician to correct hypoventilation.

A form of mechanical ventilation in which flow rate, inspired oxygen, positive end-expiratory pressure, respiratory rate, and tidal volume are preset and delivered to the patient.