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Minimum and Maximum Pressure Settings - Printable Version

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Minimum and Maximum Pressure Settings - upsman - 05-13-2020

I understand how your minimum pressure setting is determined, but what factors are involved with determining the maximum pressure setting? How much of a difference in the two pressure settings is necessary?


RE: Minimum and Maximum Pressure Settings - OpalRose - 05-13-2020

There is much that goes into that decision, but a good starting place is to use the 90 or 95% numbers from OSCAR and set the minimum to 2cm below that, or if close just use the Median number.  

Usually the max setting can be left open, but I've seen many graphs where the pressure shoots up to the max setting due to Flow Limitations and snores, so I personally like to limit max setting.  As far as the distance between the min and max, usually 5 to 7 cm is a start. Nothing is written in stone and can be adjusted.
We can usually advise better once we see data.  

This article explains in more detail.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php/Optimizing_therapy


RE: Minimum and Maximum Pressure Settings - Gideon - 05-13-2020

The Max setting depends on what is happening. Some like myself have it set to the max value. Note that I tolerate very 'high' pressures well and my pressures vary very little so in reality, it doesn't matter for me.

If you suffer from aerophagia, air in the stomach, we limit the high pressure to minimize aerophagia often with the intent to increase the max pressure as it is tollerated to better optimize therapy.

Others just do better with a very narrow range.

The bottom line, it depends


RE: Minimum and Maximum Pressure Settings - upsman - 05-13-2020

Thanks OpalRose and bonjour.
I suspected that there was no hard and fast rule and that this setting would depend on the individual and all factors involved.

The reason I'm curious is that a question was posed in a Facebook group where a member was having trouble with staying asleep and sleeping more than just 3 hours a night. He is using the AirCurve ASV with supplemental oxygen and his minimum pressure is 4 and the maximum was set to 14. He claims he lowered the max to 13 and low and behold he is now sleeping at least 8 hours with no unusual arousals during the night.

I found it hard to believe that a 1 cm pressure reduction would have such a profound effect. I just told him to give it a week or two and develop more of a trend before he made and further adjustments.

I'll read up on the information OpalRose posted and see if I can offer him any other advice.
Thanks for your input.