(04-08-2013, 12:01 AM)Purdue writer Wrote: Thanks everyone. I have another question: how accurate is the Res med at detecting central apneas? My data shows a few of these. Is this a concern?
Central apnea is no more harmful than obstructive apnea, just harder to eliminate.
Learn to look at your airflow waveforms and see how long the centrals last and how completely you stop breathing.
For your health, worry about the number of apneas, not the type. Central vs. obstructive becomes important when you can't reduce the severity of your apnea by increasing the pressure.
Centrals may also increase with pressure.
If you're asleep and the S9 classifies it as a central, it probably is. If you're awake, neither centrals nor obstructives are particularly meaningful. I suspect ResMed or PRS1 may sometimes classify centrals as obstructive, but they will flag them as an apnea of some type.
Useful links.
Click here for information on the main alternative to CPAP.
If it's midnight and a DME tells you it's dark outside, go and check it yourself.