Pressure control in respiratory treatment apparatus

An over-pressure control device prevents over-pressure conditions during the delivery of pressure treatment therapy to a patient with a respiratory treatment apparatus. The device may prevent delivered pressure from exceeding a first maximum pressure threshold. The device may also prevent the delivered pressure from exceeding a second maximum pressure threshold when the delivered pressure exceeds another pressure threshold for a period of time. In some embodiments, the second maximum pressure threshold may be lower than the first maximum pressure threshold. In an example embodiment, a set of comparators are configured to compare pressure with a maximum pressure threshold and to control a reduction in the pressure if the pressure exceeds the maximum pressure threshold. The set may also be configured to compare the pressure with a pressure threshold and to control reduction in the maximum pressure threshold if the pressure exceeds the pressure threshold for a period of time.