ahi numbers

[steveinhouston]

After posting on this forum, I got an email telling me how to download the detailed reports from the smart card for my Remstar BiPAP Pro 2. Here are the numbers from the report for one night:

Average Obstructive Apnea Index: 3.0

Average Hypopnea Index: 1.0

Average AHI: 4.0

Average Snore Index: 3.0

Do these numbers look good or bad? (I clearly am having leak problems with my full face mask; it shows an average large leak for 90 minutes.) Any help would be appreciated.

[Spiritus]

After posting on this forum, I got an email telling me how to download the detailed reports from the smart card for my Remstar BiPAP Pro 2. Here are the numbers from the report for one night:

Average Obstructive Apnea Index: 3.0

Average Hypopnea Index: 1.0

Average AHI: 4.0

Average Snore Index: 3.0

Do these numbers look good or bad? (I clearly am having leak problems with my full face mask; it shows an average large leak for 90 minutes.) Any help would be appreciated.

An AHI less than 5 is considered good.

Rob

[Titrator]

Hiya Steve,

Looks like you are being treated well with your Bipap Pro 2. What mask are you using to when you get those results?

Ted

[steveinhouston]

Thanks for the replies. I am using the Fisher & Paykel HC431 full face mask; I find the "under the chin" design of this mask to be very comfortable. The BiPAP Pro 2 shows a high leak rate with this mask. I asked a Respironics representative about the leak rate, and they said the exhilation port on the mask may fool the machine into thinking that there is a large leak. In any event, the therapy seems to be working, and I am feeling better and more energetic than I've felt inm years. Thanks again for the help.

[Titrator]

Hi Steve,

I was reading on another messege board that someone said your AHI numbers were "Lousey". I beg to differ. There is nothing lousey about any index number under 5. And your overall AHI being under 5.

The fisher paykel mask leak may be the exaust, or your mask may need to be adjusted to not leak so much.

SWS is right that if your leak level is severe, you treatment could be negated by the large leak, that is basically a small issue compared to some I have seen. Keep up the good work.

Ted

[SWS]

I was surprised to see the word "lousey" as well, Titrator. I kind of chalked that up to the poster likely having misread those AHI numbers as I have so many times on these message boards.

[steveinhouston]

Thanks for all the replies. I was curious about the statement on the other board that my AHI number was "lousey"; your comments help me to understand all of this better. I am a "newbie" and will no doubt continue tweaking things to try to get my numbers to be even better. I also have an Activa nasal mask that is much less leak prone, but I am a mouth breather. I've found a chin strap that seems to work to prevent mouth leaks, but it is somewhat uncomfortable to wear, and I have trouble sleeping with it In any event, I am feeling much better and that is the most important thing.

[Titrator]

Steve,

I have tried using a bipap with an Activa, but i couldn't figure out how to stop the mask from doing pushups on my face. Do you have any insight on this?

I love the Activa mask and think it is one of the best if not the best nasal mask on the market. We sell loads of them without complaint.

Ted

[steveinhouston]

Yes, the Activa does "push ups on my face" when I use it with the BiPAP, and I've not found a way to avoid that. My pressures are at 11/7, so the push ups don't bother me too much. By the way, I'm not sure that I even need a BiPAP, but that is what the sleep lab used for my titration, so that is what my sleep doc prescribed.

[Guest]

Bipap of 11/7 You're right to wonder if you really need Bipap as opposed to good old CPAP. If you also used a full face mask in the lab, my guess is that the tech had problems titrating you that night. You probably had a rough night trying to adjust to wearing a nasal mask, the mouth was opening and the tech couldn't respond to the mouth leak so they just put a full face mask on you.

The Bipap of 11/7 is really only CPAP of 7, a low pressure to splint an adult's airway and eliminate all awakenings. If you're sleeping better, great, if not, talk to your physician and ask him about the study. Did you get any delta sleep during the titration and was REM sleep achieved while sleeping on your back.

Good luck
Bob

[wading thru the muck!]

The Bipap of 11/7 is really only CPAP of 7

Wouldn't that be a CPAP of 11?

I agree about questioning the need for a bi-pap. Sounds like an Auto-pap would have been a better fit for the money.

[BetterBreathinBob]

The AHI numbers are within normal ranges <5 is considered normal but there are other factors to think about. With the large leak, is there any snoring going on that a bed partner could watch for. Another important thing to consider is, there may not be any actual events such as hypopneas or apnes occuring but you still may be having many awakenings or arousals which will fragment your delta sleep that we're all seraching for.

Good luck and keep asking questions
Bob

[BetterBreathinBob]

Bipap of 11/7 is really only CPAP of 7. The first number is inspiratory pressue and second number is expiratory pressure. Think of the second number is how much pressure is left in the airway to keep it splinted open at the end of exhalation. The first number will always be higher and think of it as a pressure boost, or as we call it the pressure support.

Bob

[wading thru the muck!]

Hi Bob,

Now I'm confused I know that apneas occur at the end of the expiratory cycle (I've felt them happen to me as I begin to dose off sans cpap) so what you say makes sense, but if the expiratory pressure setting on a bi-pap compares to the static pressure setting on a cpap then it seems switching to a bi-pap would give no relief to cpap user with a high pressure setting. Is this the case? If so is there any pressure related benefit to a bi-pap over a cpap/apap?

[Guest]

Isn't that 11 inhale / 7 exhale. = cpap 7 ..IMHO