Acceptable AHI Rate??

Sleepy Boy · Post by **Sleepy Boy** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:31 pm

I just found out where to check my AHI rate on my machine. What should that # be? How high is too high? Thanks, Larry...

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 1:41 pm

Generally I hear that 5 or less is a good AHI number.

jrfoster · Post by **jrfoster** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:56 pm

RipVW wrote:Generally I hear that 5 or less is a good AHI number.

I agree. AHI of , <5 is considered low and what most sleep docs have pts work toward.

Jeff

Sleepy Boy · Post by **Sleepy Boy** » Tue Mar 31, 2009 9:45 pm

What is too high for an AHI #?? Like something from 0-20? What would be considered too high.
Thanks, Larry...

ca_hosehead · Post by **ca_hosehead** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:05 am

Generally 5 or below is considered good. 0 is perfect.

It's a far better measure to keep up with how you feel. A lot of people don't feel good at 5 and need to maintain lower numbers to feel right.

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:34 am

Anything over 5 and you should start tweaking the mask to fix leaks or possibly look into a change of pressure.

Brenda

Sleepy Boy · Post by **Sleepy Boy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:51 am

Is it better to check it everyday and reset it? Or should you check your 7 day average? This # stuff is a little frustrating, and I'm just now learning about it. I've been on cpap for 9 Mo.'s and didn't know my machine had that information. No thanks to the DME .
Thanks, Larry...

jrfoster · Post by **jrfoster** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:24 am

Sleepy Boy wrote:Is it better to check it everyday and reset it? Or should you check your 7 day average? This # stuff is a little frustrating, and I'm just now learning about it. I've been on cpap for 9 Mo.'s and didn't know my machine had that information. No thanks to the DME .
Thanks, Larry...

To get a more accurate understanding of your therapy you need to have at least a week of information. Some nights are worse than others, or should I say better than others?

Jeff

RipVW · Post by **RipVW** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 6:50 am

Sleepy Boy wrote:Is it better to check it everyday and reset it? Or should you check your 7 day average? This # stuff is a little frustrating, and I'm just now learning about it. I've been on cpap for 9 Mo.'s and didn't know my machine had that information. No thanks to the DME .
Thanks, Larry...

Yep, I was on CPAP for a year and a half before I found this forum and learned about data. I discovered then that my AHI average around 12. I check mine daily, but I don't change settings. Usually I hear it suggested here that we look at trends (averages over a week or so) before making changes. Of course, if your report indicates high leak rates, than you need to work on lowering that number right away.

track · Post by **track** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 7:12 am

Lower is not always better for me. Sometimes I feel better with an AHI of 6 and an AI of 1.5 than I do with an AHI of 3 and an AI of .3. For me it all depends on whether or not I get in a deep sleep during the night..0r more specifically early in the morning my numbers go up if I get in a deep sleep. Typically the lower/better numbers mean I missed out on the deep sleep part. For example..night before last I only slept 5.5 hours and never felt like I got into a deep sleep. I felt like crap most of the day but my AHI was 3. The night before that my AHI was 6 but I l slept for 7.5 hours and felt better during the day and was not near as tired about 8 PM.

If I take a nap during the day I typically have lower numbers at night...probably meaning I don't get in as deep a sleep during the night. If no nap and I am really tired the numbers will go up..meaning I did get in a deeper sleep.

Sleepy Boy · Post by **Sleepy Boy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 10:18 am

I looked at my data this morning and it said -Therapy usage was 5.48 System Leak was 46.2 and the AHI was 7.1 thats just from (1) night. I don't know what the "system leak" # means..I will not reset any #'s for the 7 days to see what my average will be. I think the first time I ever looked at it the AHI was 6.9, but that was for quite a few days...Thanks, Larry...

Hawthorne · Post by **Hawthorne** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:19 pm

To understand the system leak, you should look in your mask users guide. Somewhere in there you will find a small graph.

Looking at the graph and knowing your pressure setting, you can see a number where the Mask Pressure setting and the Vent Flow Rate intersect. That is the leak rate that your machine will compensate for with your pressure setting and the mask you are using. You want your system leak to be that number or not more than a couple of numbers above that.

It will be different for each pressure setting and for each mask. The higher the pressure setting, the higher the vent flow rate.

Sleepy Boy · Post by **Sleepy Boy** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 2:51 pm

Mask users guide?? My DME put it in a plastic bag (like Walmart) and sent me out the door. No instructions, no DVD, etc. Tried it on, it fit, and away I went. I did ask about the instructions, and a travel bag, was told that "there were none" I knew better, but liked the mask, and it works good for me-I think? Thanks, Larry...

jrfoster · Post by **jrfoster** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 3:54 pm

Sleepy Boy wrote:Mask users guide?? My DME put it in a plastic bag (like Walmart) and sent me out the door. No instructions, no DVD, etc. Tried it on, it fit, and away I went. I did ask about the instructions, and a travel bag, was told that "there were none" I knew better, but liked the mask, and it works good for me-I think? Thanks, Larry...

The manufacturers web site should have the guide online. Give it a try!

Jeff

bdp522 · Post by **bdp522** » Wed Apr 01, 2009 4:03 pm

Here's the link to the resmed site for your mask;
http://www.resmed.com/us/assets/documen ... sa_eng.pdf

Brenda

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Additional Comments: Strictly a side sleeper