Ramp & Auto C-Flex

[krousseau]

Got the provider manual today and in reading-it looks like the ramp feature of the Remstar Auto C-flex does not operate when the device is in Auto mode. Am I reading/understanding that correctly?

[Guest]

yes, a ramp is ONLY used when in cpap mode. The mode is the first parameter when you enter setup.

The "mode" options are:

cpap - straight cpap
cfle -straight cpap with c-flex
apap - straight autopap
afle - autopap mode with cflex

If you select one of the c-flex modes it will prompt you with cflex and 1, 2 or 3 options. Suggest starting with 2 but you need to experiment which is the most comfortable for you. If your pressure is low to begin with then you won't need a very high cflex setting. When you use the machine in the cpap/cfle modes you set a low or bottom ramp symbol pressure, then the high or top ramp pressure.

The high pressure should be your titrated pressure or if in one of the auto modes you can set it 2cm higher so you have some room for the machine to increase if needed. If you use one of the cpap modes then you can set a timer in the 00:00 field, leave it zero if one of the auto modes. If setting the ramp timer your options are 00:05 to 00:45 after you increase above that it increments to 01:00 to 02:00hrs which is a special clinical split-night mode (explained in the manual).

[rested gal]

it looks like the ramp feature of the Remstar Auto C-flex does not operate when the device is in Auto mode. Am I reading/understanding that correctly?

You're understanding that correctly. Don't try to set a RAMP time when using the Respironics REMstar Auto/C-flex (or even their older auto without C-Flex.)

When your REMstar Auto is set to operate in either of its "autopap" modes (APAP or AFLE) the RAMP timer must be set for 00:00. Trying to set a "time" in those modes will do what the Guest described...will throw the machine into "split-night" therapy mode. Not good.

[krousseau]

BTW-why do they call it split night THERAPY? I thought it was more like a test/a sort of titration-put you on CPAP for half the night then AFLE the rest of the night.
thanks.....Kay (shorter than krousseau)

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CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): Titration, CPAP

[rested gal]

BTW-why do they call it split night THERAPY?

Good question, Kay. Dunno. Maybe it's because having whatever low you set in the range blowing at you the first part of the night is, actually, "therapy." Sub-optimal therapy probably (unless you have your minimum pressure set up pretty close to your prescribed pressure) but "therapy" nonetheless -- even if the autopap were set at 4 cm H2O for the minimum in the range. There are some people for whom a pressure of 4 is their prescribed pressure and it keeps their throat open fine. Hard to imagine, but they are out there.

Anyway, it wouldn't be accurate to call the REMstar Auto's split night thingy a split-night study, since that term is pretty much reserved for talking about a formal PSG sleep study being done as a split night - the diagnostic part of the night being done with no CPAP at all, then CPAP used for the titration portion of the "split night" in the sleep lab.

With a REMstar Auto, I guess I'd have dubbed it "split night mode". But they didn't ask me.