Periodic Breathing

[Sleepyv]

What is periodic breathing? Every once in a while I see that on my Bipap and don't know what it means. It usually is 1-3% when it happens.

[Beej]

It is when there is a period of time that ping pongs between breath and apnea with about an apnea per minute or so.

It can look like this:  https://docs.google.com/drawings/d/1fz59...sp=sharing

In some cases, it can be associated with certain types of heart disease. You might know if you had that.

[Sleeprider]

The example suggested by Beej is pretty extreme. For those of us without other significant problems it is nothing more than an oscillating breathing pattern that may or may not include apnea or hypopnea. So it can run the whole range between Cheyne Stokes which is a central apnea issue associated with congestive hearth failure, and obstructive periodic apnea like Beej showed (probably physical obstruction like with chin tucking and cutting off airway), and something as simple as this, which is really nothing at all.

[Sleepyv]

Here is my last night sleeyhead. Do you think it would benifit me to change my settings to Auto Biflex. I was reading manual and saw that was an option http://imgur.com/a/VUd2p 


Thanks sleepyv

[Sleeprider]

You are using AutoB mode with variable IPAP/EPAP and PS. Note EPAP ranged from 6-8 and IPAP from 8.5-12 and PS from 2.5-4.0.

[Sleepyv]

Oh, Thanks. LOL wasn't sure.