The new 2019 National EMS Scope of Practice Model includes CPAP at the Basic Life Support (BLS) level.[1]

This is good news for BLS crews!

Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) is used to treat a variety of conditions from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) to congestive heart failure (CHF), and has proven beneficial in decreasing the patient’s work of breathing and avoiding the need for intubation.[2] The adoption of CPAP allows BLS crews to proactively combat respiratory distress by managing the airway, and ultimately decrease the need for intubation. This is especially helpful in urban states and communities where ALS providers are far from the patient.

Prehospital CPAP use is important because patients requiring intubation are seven times more likely to die from their condition, and their hospital stay is an average of two days longer.[3] In fact, expanded prehospital use of CPAP has already led to a decreased need for intensive care unit admits due to ventilator dependency for patient care.[4]

Providing Efficient CPAP is Critical

BLS crews need a reliable CPAP device that provides efficient and consistent oxygen. The Flow-Safe II® family of CPAP devices from Mercury Medical are ideal for emergency situations and come with built-in safety features. The Flow-Safe II® has a built-in manometer that verifies delivered CPAP pressure and a built-in pressure relief valve that automatically adjusts to avoid excess pressure. The device is compact, easy to set up, and disposable, allowing BLS providers to quickly incorporate it into use. With three versions, the Flow-Safe II® family comes in a variety of designs to meet patient and clinician needs.

• Flow-Safe II® Disposable CPAP System with manometer
• Flow-Safe II+® Disposable BiLevel CPAP System with manometer
• Flow-Safe II EZ® Disposable CPAP system with manometer and integrated nebulizer using only one oxygen source

To learn more about the Flow-Safe II family please email us or call 888-891-1200 to be connected to your local representative.

MED Alliance Group is a medical device distributor with more than 350 years of combined medical device sales and distribution experience. Dedicated to meeting the needs of its clinical customers and manufacturing partners, MED Alliance offers cost-effective, customized sales, logistics, and distribution solutions for products found in anesthesia/respiratory, blood/transfusion therapy, EMS/emergency room, interventional radiology/cath lab, iv/vascular and NICU/PICU.

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[2] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16997770

[3] https://emsairway.com/2019/06/06/an-argument-for-bls-cpap/

[4] https://www.ems1.com/cpap/articles/382221048-3-things-you-should-know-about-CPAP-use-in-EMS/