How much obstructive apnea time?

[dela]

My AHI its in near 6 using Remstar APAP
I dont know very much about the sleephead results.
But if a look at the obstructive apnea time I see more than 10 secs. with obstructive apnea (without breath) with my APAP working?

It´s normal or APAP doesn´t work well.


Thank you very much.

[Sleepster]

Hi Dela. Welcome to the forum. All apneas last at least 10 seconds by definition. Anything shorter is considered insignificant. Your AHI is 6, and that's just above the acceptable level of 5, so that's not too bad, especially if you're new to CPAP therapy.

What is your 95% pressure level? Your maximum and average pressure levels?

What was your untreated AHI during your sleep study?

[dela]

Obstructive Apnea time 15 sec - 20 sec.
pressure setting: min 10,5 max 16
min 8,5 to start the ramp

Last night:
Average Pressure
10.59

Min Pressure
8.50

Max Pressure
12.50

90% Pressure
11.50

How can I check the APAP? it should be respond with a over pressure?
I can see this overpressure in the graph. If i try a apnea to check if it work (during to day) no overpressure neither.

Hi Dela. Welcome to the forum. All apneas last at least 10 seconds by definition. Anything shorter is considered insignificant. Your AHI is 6, and that's just above the acceptable level of 5, so that's not too bad, especially if you're new to CPAP therapy.

What is your 95% pressure level? Your maximum and average pressure levels?

What was your untreated AHI during your sleep study?

[quiescence at last]

I am also a new patient and new to sleepyhead. I believe your machine is acting well. I was told the important thing is control of oxygen. My observation is that I have different sleep with and without APAP (my prescript 4-20) 95% pressure about 7.
First chart is from oximeter during a night where 2 hrs on APAP, 4 hours off, and 2 hrs on. There is a distinct difference in those periods. Note the slight gap in the traces at 23:45 and wider gap at 4:00. The middle area is me when sleeping off the machine.
   
Next chart shows a strip of APAP - where my oximeter says I stayed above 90% oxygen. My opinion is that the machine worked and I am safe, but look at all those blips. (the AHI for that night was 9.46)
   
First chart tells me - stay on your machine.
I am getting great sleep and dreaming heavily. As for all the blips, I think my body just need a little time to recoup 5 yrs of loss sleep and establish a better sleep pattern.

Good luck!

[trish6hundred]

Hi dela,
WELCOME! to the forum.!
Hang in there for more answers to your question and much success to you with your CPAP therapy.

[archangle]

It's normal.

You can still have apneas even when your CPAP/APAP is working perfectly.

A CPAP machine creates air pressure in your throat to "encourage" your airway to stay open. It doesn't force your airway open the way a breathing tube would.

You might think you could just increase the pressure until it works, but there are several problems with that. More pressure is uncomfortable, tends to cause leaks, and can even cause what's called central apnea. Because of this, we tend to use the lowest pressure that works. We have to trade off a number of factors to get the best compromise in terms of low AHI vs. other problems.

APAP machines will increase the pressure within limits if you still have apneas, but they only increase the pressure slowly, and then the pressure will drop back down if you don't have apneas.

If necessary, your machine can be adjusted further in several ways, such as increasing your minimum pressure.

Are you using some language other than English on SleepyHead? I'm wondering why it says "AO" instead of "OA".

[archangle]

Next chart shows a strip of APAP - where my oximeter says I stayed above 90% oxygen. My opinion is that the machine worked and I am safe, but look at all those blips. (the AHI for that night was 9.46)

Your data shows you have some central apnea. That's one of the reasons you don't simply increase the pressure to fix AHI because increased pressure may make central apnea worse instead of better.

Don't panic about it, especially if you're new to CPAP, but if it continues or gets worse, you might need too see about a more complicated machines such as an ASV machine.

[PaulaO2]

I think you are confusing terms.

APAP is autoPAP, as in the type of machine you have.

AHI is the numbers reached to determine the average number of events during the sleep period.

And yes, there will be events longer than 10 seconds. For one, it takes that long for the event to register as an event. Then the machine has to react. Then it has to slowly introduce pressure to either stop the event or to prevent the next one. This all takes time, well, seconds. You don't want the machine to shoot the pressure up to your max setting every time you have an event. It isn't necessary. Usually all that is needed is a tiny amount anyway.

Keep watching your data. Watch the graphs, compare them. See what is normal for you. You won't have an exact number, you'll have a range of numbers. No two nights are the same so the data won't be the same either. You are looking for trends.

[zonk]

I assume the number in bracket is the duration of event in seconds
1 apnea 7 seconds
2 apnea 8 seconds each
1 apnea 9 seconds

How come SH flagging an apnea less than 10 seconds

I would not worry about data for at least the first 3 months
Getting the mask right and some decent sleep is more important
In time everything fall in place and start make some sense like pieces of jigsaw puzzle

[Sleepster]

How can I check the APAP? it should be respond with a over pressure?

It is responding. It starts at a pressure of 8.5 and it raises it as needed. Half the time your pressure is at or below 10.59. 90% of the time it's at or below 11.50. It occasionally goes up as high as 12.50. It never gets anywhere near the cap of 17, which means it's doing it's doing its job.

How long have you been using a CPAP machine?