High AHI values - Resmed Autoset 8

I haven't been on the message boards for many years, my CPAP therapy was going well until now. I used to have low AHI values, now I'm avg. in 9 to 11 range in the last year, and this morning it shows 16.3
I've been using an auto CPAP, for over 5 yrs, my current pressure setting min is 7 and max range is 17 and EPR 3
My avg pressure is around 9-10 cm range.
Would increasing the min. and max pressure to 8-12 help reduce the AHI?
I had an appt. a couple of weeks ago with my sleep doctor and I'm scheduled for another sleep lab test in the next couple of months for a re-assesment.
He suggested than I might need a Bi-Pap machine to control my apneas.
Would like to feel better on some mornings until then, and feel less groggy with morning fog and headaches.

cycloman2005 wrote:I haven't been on the message boards for many years, my CPAP therapy was going well until now. I used to have low AHI values, now I'm avg. in 9 to 11 range in the last year, and this morning it shows 16.3
I've been using an auto CPAP, for over 5 yrs, my current pressure setting min is 7 and max range is 17 and EPR 3
My avg pressure is around 9-10 cm range.
Would increasing the min. and max pressure to 8-12 help reduce the AHI?

without seeing the data, (unfortunatley, it's a lot harder to get out of an s8), we'd just be guessing.

I hear where palerider is coming from; however, I'm of the opinion that the detailed info from the screen of that machine makes software data redundant for many patients.

Can you give us as much info as you can from the screen? For example:

How much of that home-machine-reported "AHI" is "HI" and how much of it is AI?

Any other screen info is helpful.

If most of your "AHI" is "HI," then raising the max pressure may help. If most of it is AI, then raising the minimum may help. That is assuming that the trouble is obstructive, not central in nature.

With those machines, software data can be useful, and for some troubleshooting invaluable. But often simple home titration to optimal pressure is easy enough to obtain with screen data alone with a ResMed full-data machine, IMO.

cycloman2005 wrote:I haven't been on the message boards for many years, my CPAP therapy was going well until now. I used to have low AHI values, now I'm avg. in 9 to 11 range in the last year, and this morning it shows 16.3
I've been using an auto CPAP, for over 5 yrs, my current pressure setting min is 7 and max range is 17 and EPR 3
My avg pressure is around 9-10 cm range.
Would increasing the min. and max pressure to 8-12 help reduce the AHI?
I had an appt. a couple of weeks ago with my sleep doctor and I'm scheduled for another sleep lab test in the next couple of months for a re-assesment.
He suggested than I might need a Bi-Pap machine to control my apneas.
Would like to feel better on some mornings until then, and feel less groggy with morning fog and headaches.

The "problem" with the S8 Autoset (and previous S7 generation) machines is that they used the A10 algorithm. Depending on the type of "events" a person had, the algorithm was reluctant to pursue events over the 10 cm. threshold (hence the "A10" designation)......because ResMed had determined that above the pressure of 10 cm. was where Central Apneas MAY be induced by higher pressures. So, that was their way of avoiding them. (their newer S9 series used a different algorithm)

So, the best option with an S8 Auto is to either use it as a straight pressure CPAP with the pressure that will prevent most of the events or to set the minimum pressure somewhere above 10 cm.......as needed.


Den

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jnk,
My display data for week:
AHI - 13.2
AI - 1.8
HI - 12.1

For month:
AHI - 11.0
AI - 0.9
HI - 9.3

For 6 months:
AHI - 9.5
AI - 0.9
HI - 8.6

For year:
AHI - 9.0
AI - 0.9
HI - 8.2

Pressure wk: 9.4
month: 8.8
6 months: 8.8
Year: 9.4

I could not get last night's data because Resmed Autoset erases the previous night's data at noon.

I would like to thank you, Wulfman and palerider for your replies to my post.

I would like to add that my fixed CPAP pressure during my initial sleep study was 16cm, I had 55 events/hr. I initially had a regular CPAP machine at first with lower AHI readings. My sleep doctor prescribed an Auto CPAP after because I get less events on sleeping on my side, but I find that when I sleep on my back is probably causing more events. I often wake up finding that I've been sleeping on my back. That's probably why I get higher AHI readings. I will be going for another sleep study in a couple of months. I have used the S8 Autoset for almost 5 yrs.

Wulfman quoted in his reply: " So, the best option with an S8 Auto is to either use it as a straight pressure CPAP with the pressure that will prevent most of the events or to set the minimum pressure somewhere above 10 cm.......as needed."
This could be an option to lower my AHI on the Autoset S8.

I will be eligible to get a new machine this year, so getting an S9 Autoset or the new Resmed Airsense 10 with better algorithims should improve my sleep quality compared the S8 Autoset.

The S8 also overstated hypopnias...When I used the S8, I cut the hypopnia total in half to get my actual AHI. The new total always averaged about 3.0. When I got my S9...my AHI always averages <3.0.

I lowered my min pressure setting from 7cm to 9cm on my Autoset, the AHI value has been in the 6-6.5 range in the last 2 nights! I feel much better and not as tired!
Would like to thank for your suggestions!

cycloman2005 wrote:I lowered my min pressure setting from 7cm to 9cm on my Autoset, the AHI value has been in the 6-6.5 range in the last 2 nights! I feel much better and not as tired!
Would like to thank for your suggestions!

Isn't that an "increase"? (going from 7 - 9 cm.)

Maybe if you bump it up a bit more, the numbers will get better and so will "how you feel".


Den

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Wulfman... wrote:

cycloman2005 wrote:I lowered my min pressure setting from 7cm to 9cm on my Autoset, the AHI value has been in the 6-6.5 range in the last 2 nights! I feel much better and not as tired!
Would like to thank for your suggestions!

Isn't that an "increase"? (going from 7 - 9 cm.)

Maybe if you bump it up a bit more, the numbers will get better and so will "how you feel".

don't you mean "lower it more" maybe to 10 or 11?

palerider wrote:

Wulfman... wrote:

cycloman2005 wrote:I lowered my min pressure setting from 7cm to 9cm on my Autoset, the AHI value has been in the 6-6.5 range in the last 2 nights! I feel much better and not as tired!
Would like to thank for your suggestions!

Isn't that an "increase"? (going from 7 - 9 cm.)

Maybe if you bump it up a bit more, the numbers will get better and so will "how you feel".

don't you mean "lower it more" maybe to 10 or 11?

Yup, yup!


Den

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Wulfman, thanks for pointing that out! I meant I increased the pressure not lowered the pressure to 7cm - 9cm..I felt better this morning and feeling rested!