Would/Could A Cough Be Reported As An Apnea ??

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:18 am

Just curious. Would or could a cough be mistaken for an apnea and reported as such by a Resmed or Respironics?

Or could or would they be reported as a hypopnea?

Nodzy · Post by **Nodzy** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:35 am

Slinky,
From my experiences.... YES... as can an intentional throat clearing.

Nodzy

ColinP · Post by **ColinP** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 7:40 am

If I'm masked up and ready to sleep and I talk, it reads that as either an apnea or a hypopnea depending on how long winded I'm being. Which would make it an apnea most times...

Colin

p.s. How's the snow Slinky?

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 9:54 am

Slinky wrote:Just curious. Would or could a cough be mistaken for an apnea and reported as such by a Resmed or Respironics?

Or could or would they be reported as a hypopnea?

I'd think a cough would be more likely to be reported as a "snore" if noticed at all.

I can see how "long winded" talking, as Colin described, might reduce the airflow the machine was sensing... to the point it might think a limited flow event was happening.

Regie · Post by **Regie** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 10:17 am

rested gal wrote:
Slinky wrote:Just curious. Would or could a cough be mistaken for an apnea and reported as such by a Resmed or Respironics?

Or could or would they be reported as a hypopnea?
I'd think a cough would be more likely to be reported as a "snore" if noticed at all.

Doesn't an event have to be for 10 seconds or more for either an apnea or hypoapnea event? If so, then would not the cough have to be more than just a "hack" or two but really have to be a coughing "spell" of 10 seconds or more to be considered either?

Regie

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:05 am

I get quite a few Apneas that are repored as lasting only 6 seconds. I know several are reported that when I get in bed then roll over to get settled on my side I don't always breathe evenly and it gets reported as an Apnea. Not sure the 10 sec thing really applys.

Jerry

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:29 am

6PtStar wrote:I get quite a few Apneas that are repored as lasting only 6 seconds. I know several are reported that when I get in bed then roll over to get settled on my side I don't always breathe evenly and it gets reported as an Apnea. Not sure the 10 sec thing really applys.

Jerry

Perhaps the extreme flow limitation has to have been going on for ten seconds before it BEGINS to be counted as an apnea? Then, if it goes on for 6 seconds more, it was a "6 second" apnea. But... I really don't know.

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 12:27 pm

Pro Analyser shows "Total Time In Apnea=6 Sec". Just taking it at its word. The daily report also shows 6 sec.

Jerry

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 1:07 pm

90% blockage for 10 seconds to kick off machine flow, lasted 6 seconds before cleared?

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 4:45 pm

Thanks, everyone. Interesting!

lifeartist59 · Post by **lifeartist59** » Fri Feb 08, 2008 11:58 pm

Wow, I have to say thank you again for this post!!! I take a medicine that causes a dry cough (lisinopril, listed side effect), and it is quite noticable at night. I wondered if this added to my original count of apnea events, I spent a lot of the night trying not to cough and also not sleeping yet they said I had quite a few events. I don't doubt the dx, I am sure I have apnea too, but wondered about this for a while and did not think to post it as a question here. Thanks again all!!!

ozij · Post by **ozij** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 12:03 am

Anything reported when you're awake can be misinterperted by the software, since it uses changes in breathing patterns to identify events. And the patterns when you're awake confuse the machine even if you're not coughing, they are not in any way the same as the regular patterns of normal sleep breathing.

O.

Slinky · Post by **Slinky** » Sat Feb 09, 2008 8:36 am

Yer welcome, LifeArtist. I saw that question posted elsewhere which got my curiosity up and is why I asked it.

Ozij, thank you. I was aware that our breathing and the CPAP's reporting was different betweeen awake and sleeping. The playoff 2 weeks before the Super Bowl I was soooo tired but wanted to watch that Packer game so bad!

I propped myself up on some pillows and donned my mask and CPAP to watch the game. (Missed the entire middle of the game! But did wake up to see my Packers lose. *sigh*)

Then again, Super Bowl Sunday I propped up on pillows, donned mask, turned CPAP on, fought to stay awake but did doze off now and then. It was STRIKING the difference in the data for those two time periods as compared to the rest of the night when I DID sleep w/o fighting to stay awake and laying level rather than propped up. LOTS more apneas reported during the sitting up fighting to stay awake and no apneas or VERY FEW whilst honestly sleeping after the games. I thought that was rather interesting. I know I did quite a bit of coughing whilst propped up fighting sleep.

Would/Could A Cough Be Reported As An Apnea ??

Would/Could A Cough Be Reported As An Apnea ??

Re: Would/Could A Cough Be Reported As An Apnea ??

Re: Would/Could A Cough Be Reported As An Apnea ??

cough and apnea event

Mask

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