Function of high pressure

[Dogjudge]

First of all, again thank you to the group for all of the help that you've given me.

I've been able to tweak my machine to the point where I feel my overall sleep I would rate as good. Not great, but good.

Low end pressure is set at 8.5 and the high end at 11.5.

My main issue is hypopneas. If they go over about 15 in a night, I'd rate my sleep as fair.

When I first changed my machine to 8.5, I was consistently getting hypopneas under 10. They're not creeping back up. I might get one or two obstructive event in a night.

From what I've read here, the low end pressure is a key to lowering the number of hypopneas.

That raised my curiosity. What is the purpose of the high end pressure limit. Why wouldn't you simply leave it at the highest setting. I thought, maybe I'm mistaken that my machine simply gives me the amount of high pressure that I need and it doesn't go over that amount.

For whatever it's worth, I also have asthma, not horrible, but it is there.

[palerider]

That raised my curiosity. What is the purpose of the high end pressure limit. Why wouldn't you simply leave it at the highest setting. I thought, maybe I'm mistaken that my machine simply gives me the amount of high pressure that I need and it doesn't go over that amount.

for most people, there is no point to the high pressure limit.

if someone has aerophagia, then the high limit can be useful, but then you've got a balancing act between not enough pressure to prevent events, or too much pressure causing discomfort.

it could be an issue if someone has pressure onset centrals, too, and can't get the right machine to handle that issue.

[Dogjudge]

Thanks.

Not that I'm going to raise the pressure to as high as it goes. Just one of those inane things that makes you wonder.

[Pugsy]

The higher pressure's function is the same as the lower pressure...its job is to keep the airway open.
Having a minimum and maximum pressure available means that for the time of the night when lower pressure does a good job keeping the airway open then that's all that is needed but sometimes for whatever reason (maybe sleeping position or REM sleep) that lower pressure just can't do a good job so having the higher pressure available to go to means it can do a better job.

The alternative is to use a higher pressure all night to anticipate those special situations where the lower can't do a good job. I don't know about you but that would mean I had to use up around 18 all night and I sure wouldn't look forward to that.

[palerider]

Thanks.

Not that I'm going to raise the pressure to as high as it goes. Just one of those inane things that makes you wonder.

my max is set at 25. I don't think it's ever gotten that high

[Dogjudge]

Mine has been set at 11. When I look at the pressure, I'm usually in the high 9s.

Yesterday changed it to 15. From the graph, I never went over 10.

Interesting.

[Pugsy]

The machine won't go anywhere unless it thinks it has a good reason to go there.
Just because it can go somewhere doesn't mean it will go there.
If the machine could be set to a max of 100 and it never feels the need to go past 10 the maximum setting becomes a moot point.

Now sometimes where it goes creates a problem....like aerophagia or bad leaks or the pressure changes disturb a person's sleep...then maybe we rein that maximum in so that those problems are avoided without compromising therapy too much.

[Dogjudge]

As usual. Great advice. Thanks again.