So if you have 0 AHI Does this mean better rest?

ReedRichards · Post by **ReedRichards** » Sat May 17, 2008 2:21 pm

So if you have 0 AHI with CPAP. What does this mean? Better Rest? Better regeneration?

What is this exactly?

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Sat May 17, 2008 2:42 pm

I think a zero AHI would mean that you're having no events, no apneas, no hypopneas, no vibratory snores . . . And, that would mean optimal rest, at least sleep that is not interrupted by OSA. Of course, there are many other things that can interrupt our sleep--sleep apnea is just one of the big ones. So, better sleep/rest depends on more than our low AHI numbers.

billbolton · Post by **billbolton** » Sat May 17, 2008 4:02 pm

ReedRichards wrote:So if you have 0 AHI with CPAP. What does this mean? Better Rest? Better regeneration?

As far as Sleep Apnea is concerned (which is all that AHI measures), clinicians regard normal sleep as occuring for any AHI below 5.0

There is is no clinical evidence arising from proper double blind trials that any particular AHI number below 5 is better than any other... though there are a lot of strongly held beliefs here otherwise.

Cheers,

Bill

zorrro13 · Post by **zorrro13** » Sat May 17, 2008 9:59 pm

As a layman, zero of anything you are trying to avoid has to be better than getting what you don't want 5 times. I believe the medical community has to show an acceptable number or we would all be on Xpap

dsm · Post by **dsm** » Sun May 18, 2008 1:49 am

Just wanted to add that AHI is not the best measure of good sleep. But, it is the best one we mere mortals have to work with so having zero AHI would not mean that big a deal to the world expert sleep researchers & doctors.

There are many far more meaningful tests such as how much time at the various levels of sleep and REM quality etc: etc: - but as yet no cpap machine can nor is likely to be able to in the near future, measure these.

The final arbiter of 0 AHI is if your life is normal, your memory as good as you hope and expect (and is normal for your age), your energy levels as good as you hoped or expect (again for your age).

There is no consolation in having a 0 AHI if one is slow witted and lacking vitality due to lack of the right quality of sleep.

DSM

ReedRichards · Post by **ReedRichards** » Sun May 18, 2008 11:22 am

Thanks everyone.

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:00 pm

You can also get a zero if your mouth is open. Pressure goes up your nose and out your mouth. However, if you're feeling good and therapy is working, you're doing great!

Hawthorne · Post by **Hawthorne** » Mon May 19, 2008 2:09 pm

Can I really have 0 AHI with my mouth open? I thought, with the mouth open, the therapy goes right out your mouth and not down to keep you breathing tube open. Wouldn't this cause apneas, hypoapneas, vibratory snores and flow limitations in large numbers??

6PtStar · Post by **6PtStar** » Mon May 19, 2008 3:41 pm

If the machine goes into large leak (75lts/sec) it will quit recording and as such will give you a zero or very low reading. In order for it to record your breathing your leaks must be under control.

A AHI of zero may not make me feel any better than a 1.0 but it sure puts a smile on my face in the morning and perks up my attitude.

Jerry

Gerald · Post by **Gerald** » Mon May 19, 2008 7:00 pm

Reed.....

What hasn't been mentioned....is the "elephant in the room"......the percentage of blood-oxygen saturation rates for the whole night while one is asleep.

A saturation level of 93%....or above.... should be maintained all night....every night. Bottom line, that's what CPAP is for.

Without a recording Oximeter, one must "guess" based on his AHI score....or how he feels.....to get some idea of whether or not he's getting successful therapy. "Successful therapy" is defined as "maintaining 93% or higher saturation" for the duration of a sleep session.

I've found that anything above an AHI of 2.5 means that.... part of the night....my blood-oxygen saturation level is below the 93% minimum.

The medical community says that an AHI below 5.0 is "normal".....but I disagree. My guess is that this is just a common "opinion"....because I haven't seen any hard data backing it up. The insurance companies don't want to dispense our cash if they can keep from it......so, the "Normal AHI of 5.0" myth is perpetuated.

I'm finding the "sleep center industry" to be full of poor quality workmanship......meaning that....most of the time, the work is just "slopped out"......patients are run through the system like cattle.....milked of their cash......and sent on their way.

Beware......Fundamentally, you're on your own. Test yourself...buy tools and gauges.....apply the scientific method.

Gerald

Guest · Post by **Guest** » Wed May 21, 2008 5:06 am

Hi,

A zero ahi does not mean anything unless the following occurs correctly.

1) SaO2 in high 90's+.
2) Sleep stage in 3 or 4 (N3) a must and depends on age.
3) Length of sleep.
4) No RLS/PLM at all.
5) No naps required after lunch/dinner and how do you feel?

At Best!

Mckooi

GumbyCT · Post by **GumbyCT** » Wed May 21, 2008 7:18 am

My DME is scheduled to drop off an overnite oximeter in about a week. Now if I could only coordinate another zero ahi nite, eh? Too bad I don't know which one they use. That would get me the results faster.

So if you have 0 AHI Does this mean better rest?

So if you have 0 AHI Does this mean better rest?

Re: So if you have 0 AHI Does this mean better rest?

0 AHI - better?

Machine	Mask

Additional Comments: Airmini, Medistrom Pilot 24, CMS 60C Pulse Oximeter, ResScan 6