11-29-2015, 09:46 AM
AutoPAP: When to change min/max pressure?
Hi Everybody! I've been using my current APAP settings for 6 days now and so far they've been working well. My AHI is always below 1 with only 1 or 2 events per night, even a handful of 0.0's! Still, I look at my Snore and Pressure charts and wonder if any small tweaks are in order. So here are the questions I have:
1) What are the indications that the minimum pressure should be raised?
2) What are the indications that the maximum pressure should be raised?
Attached below is my SleepyHead chart from last night, where I noticed a couple things. First, I have the ramp configured to start at my minimum pressure of 9.6, but to hold that for 5 minutes before making any adjustments (useful to null out any "stupid breathing" I do while initially getting comfortable, adjusting my pillow & position, etc). The second that 5 minute "ramp" is up, it will usually jump into the 10s and stay there. Seems to indicate to me that my starting pressure should be at least 10 if it doesn't bother me. The other indicator to that effect is that when the pressure slowly decreases and dips below 10, I'll typically snore or have a mild flow limit event that will cause it to jack up to the 10s (or above) again.
As for the max, it has never once actually hit the max of 14, but has come close to around 13.7 for brief interventions. Does the max pressure "discourage" the machine from maxing out in any way, or is it safe to assume that as long as it never hits the absolute max there is no reason to raise the max limit?
![[Image: ScreenHunter_03%20Nov.%2029%2009.31.jpg]](http://i785.photobucket.com/albums/yy135/clukowski1981/ScreenHunter_03%20Nov.%2029%2009.31.jpg)
1) What are the indications that the minimum pressure should be raised?
2) What are the indications that the maximum pressure should be raised?
Attached below is my SleepyHead chart from last night, where I noticed a couple things. First, I have the ramp configured to start at my minimum pressure of 9.6, but to hold that for 5 minutes before making any adjustments (useful to null out any "stupid breathing" I do while initially getting comfortable, adjusting my pillow & position, etc). The second that 5 minute "ramp" is up, it will usually jump into the 10s and stay there. Seems to indicate to me that my starting pressure should be at least 10 if it doesn't bother me. The other indicator to that effect is that when the pressure slowly decreases and dips below 10, I'll typically snore or have a mild flow limit event that will cause it to jack up to the 10s (or above) again.
As for the max, it has never once actually hit the max of 14, but has come close to around 13.7 for brief interventions. Does the max pressure "discourage" the machine from maxing out in any way, or is it safe to assume that as long as it never hits the absolute max there is no reason to raise the max limit?
