Sandman Auto HC Pressure

[tom142]

Hi,

I used to have a Goodnight 420E (auto) for many years. For about the last six months I am using the Sandman Auto HC. It works very well but every time I download the data, I am getting confused. Maybe somebody in this Forum can help me to understand.

With the Goodnight, the pressure usually started at 8cmHO2, then during the night went up to 14, 15, sometimes 16. Now with the Sandman Auto, the pressure during the night never goes higher than 11. It usually starts out at my comfort level of 9 and then goes up to 10 or 10.5 and comes down to 9 again for most of the night. The detected events look good. I only have 1-4 Apnoeas per night and about 10-15 Hypopneas and Hypopneas CNT and about 20 snorings. The leaks show ok as well.

My settings are 8 -20 for max. and min. pressure, pressure decrease fast, command on flow limitation run enable, max pressure for command on Apnoea 10 and comfort pressure at 9. I use a Breeze mask with nasal pillows.

Would anybody be able to help me and let me know if this is normal.

Thank you very much.

[ozij]

I can't let you know if this is normal, however, unless you made sure to give you 420E an initialpressure of 9 (while keeping the minimum at , you can't compare the setups.

By setting a 420E with initial = minimum you're instructing the machine to return to the minimum as fast as it can, whenever it can - and I assume that you tend to have more flow limitation runs and (or) snores at 8 -- both of which drive the pressure up quickly.

The Sandman's setup assures you of having a higher baseline pressure -- and less of chance to develop the events that would drive the pressure up.

That's my guessing, based on what I know of the machines. I wonder if it fits the facts.

O.