Average AHI = 5.0

sionghua · Post by **sionghua** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:13 pm

Hi all,

I am using a Respironics A-Flex, and the average AHI for 40 days is 5.0, I wonder if this figure is acceptable, and how can I improve it? Thanks.

KHENAULT · Post by **KHENAULT** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:39 pm

5.0 is what is consider the maximum acceptable by the medical community, but to most people here it is unacceptable. In all likelyhood you can cut that in half, possibly getting it below 1.0 if you take control of your treatment.

The first thing you're going to need is a smart card + reader + software. This will let you see the detailed specifics on how various changes you make effect your results. Theres plenty of threads here and under the "our collective wisdom" yellow light bulb above.

What are your current settings? It seems it's common for the sleep study titration to recommend too low of a pressure. In my case they recommended 8.0 CPAP which gave me an average AHI of 5. By going with an APAP range of 9.5 - 11.5 I have my AHI below 2.0. These are my results, everyone is different. My point is I couldn't have gotten here without this forum and the smart card + reader + software.

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

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 5:57 pm

Yep, while 5 is supposted to be okay, less than 5 can result in significantly better therapy and results, in my experience. Ditto to what KHENAULT said--once you begin reviewing your data, you should be able to tweak things for optimal results and an even lower AHI. Good luck!

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jskinner · Post by **jskinner** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 6:01 pm

Depends a lot on how you feel at AHI 5.0? Do you feel like you are at your best, normal? If your feeling good there is no real need to try and do better.

For me personally I didn't feel great until I got to about AHI 3.0

Country4ever · Post by **Country4ever** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:38 pm

I seem to feel the same from 3-5 AHI. When I try to get it lower, by increasing the pressure, I start running into other problems (restless sleep, sinus pressure, etc.). How's your leak rate? If its too high, your other numbers aren't reliable.

sionghua · Post by **sionghua** » Sun Mar 30, 2008 7:59 pm

For last night avg leak rate about 35 LPM, I have just changed the min pressure to 7 (as recommended by specialist), before this I changed it to 4 due to lazy to use ramp, but have made the change to 7 and will see the result tonight. I already have the software etc.

KHENAULT · Post by **KHENAULT** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:35 am

So how did it go last night? Have you ever tried your machine in auto mode?

sionghua · Post by **sionghua** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:54 pm

There is imprvement in AHI, now AHI=4, thanks.

rested gal · Post by **rested gal** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:09 pm

I'm not a doctor or anything in the health care field. But it's my opinion that when using an autopap, if a person wants to reduce the AHI, raising the minimum pressure is usually the best way to do that.

I like to have my minimum pressure set high enough on my autopap, so that it can prevent most events (apneas and hypopneas) right from the start.

In other words, I use my autopap almost as if it were a straight cpap machine.

Even though I'm setting my autopap's minimum pressure about as high as I would my cpap single pressure -- at 10 cm H2O, the benefit (for me) in using an autopap instead of a straight cpap is that the autopap can use more pressure when I occasionally do need more for brief periods on many nights.

Works for me. Others could have quite different experiences.

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Mon Mar 31, 2008 5:16 pm

Yep, I do the same, RG. Works for me as well. Run in APAP mode, min set at 12.5, and it runs at 13 most of the time.

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