Acceptable AHI numbers

[Jason S.]

1. What numbers are acceptable?
2. What numbers are good?
3. What numbers are great?

[Hawthorne]

In my opinion, 5 is acceptable ( and that's according the sleep medicine people). An AHI of 3 or under is good and an AHI 1 or under is great.

[Eureka]

After my titration study, the sleep dr had them set my machine on 10. He said that would get me to a 4.4 and that was the "gold standard." Can you believe it? I tweaked just a little to 10.5 and average around 2 plus or minus a little. I use straight cpap but intend to use the apap and see if I can get it better. I guess for it to be "great" it would have to be "0" -- but is that possible on a consistent basis?

[PST]

At the risk of sounding like a broken record on the subject, I am more and more convinced that the summary index numbers don't mean too much by themselves. I had another example this morning. I awoke well rested and without an alarm and lay peacefully for 10 or 15 minutes enjoying the quiet, the only dark cloud on the horizon the knowledge that sooner or later I would be poked in the ribs and reminded that it was Monday. When that happened, I checked the LCD on the old ResMed and was shocked to see an AHI of 5.5, which is worse than what I've been used to lately. So I made myself even later to work by downloading my data before I left. More than half my hypopneas were in that last 10 minutes or so before I turned off the machine, forming what looked like a continuous line on the 8-hour ResScan graph. I don't know what it means (any interpretations are welcome), but it wasn't really a sleep disturbance because I wasn't asleep. I don't know if it was because my breaths were slow or shallow or what, but what I was feeling was total relaxation. So I'm not going to let that 5.5 worry me, the way I would if a similar patch hit in the middle of the night, raising the suspicion that I wasn't getting good relief during REM sleep, perhaps, or when on my back.

[Gerald]

The number that is "acceptable - good - great" is 93%.

Sleep apnea is "suffocation"......and "suffocation" means that we're not getting enough O2.

Regardless of what the "AHI" is, we need to keep our blood O2 saturation levels at or above 93% while sleeping.

The arbitrary "OK" number of "AHI 5.0" is....in my not-so-humble opinion......just plain wrong.

Focus on what's important....your O2 saturation levels.

A low AHI is just an indication that we might be "doing something right"....but it isn't a confirmation.

Gerald

[Jason S.]

The number that is "acceptable - good - great" is 93%.

Sleep apnea is "suffocation"......and "suffocation" means that we're not getting enough O2.

Regardless of what the "AHI" is, we need to keep our blood O2 saturation levels at or above 93% while sleeping.

The arbitrary "OK" number of "AHI 5.0" is....in my not-so-humble opinion......just plain wrong.

Focus on what's important....your O2 saturation levels.

A low AHI is just an indication that we might be "doing something right"....but it isn't a confirmation.

Gerald

Does EncoreViewer v1.0 Software for Respironics M Series and REMstar Machines provide O2 saturation level data?

[Hawthorne]

No. You need a separate Oximeter with it's own software to check your oxygen levels. Some people on the forum have them.

You can do a search and find out. You do need an oximeter with software to get the O2 results. You can compare them with your Encore Viewer software data reports.

[Gerald]

I can recommend a SPO-7500 Oximeter from turnermedical.com

The equipment is good....the software is good....and Turner is safe to do business with.

Gerald

[mdintx]

The number that is "acceptable - good - great" is 93%.

Sleep apnea is "suffocation"......and "suffocation" means that we're not getting enough O2.

Regardless of what the "AHI" is, we need to keep our blood O2 saturation levels at or above 93% while sleeping.

The arbitrary "OK" number of "AHI 5.0" is....in my not-so-humble opinion......just plain wrong.

Focus on what's important....your O2 saturation levels.

A low AHI is just an indication that we might be "doing something right"....but it isn't a confirmation.

Gerald

I have definitely experienced this. I've been using a Swift LT and getting leak rates of 0 and AHI numbers below 2.0 and feeling miserable, even with 7 hours of sleep. Last night, I got just over 5 hours using a ComfortGel nasal and had a leak rate of .06L/s and and AHI of 3.8 and feel loads better. The AHI doesn't tell the whole story. I bet my O2 drops too low when using the Swift.

[apnez]

.... I checked the LCD on the old ResMed and was shocked to see an AHI of 5.5, which is worse than what I've been used to lately. So I made myself even later to work by downloading my data before I left. More than half my hypopneas were in that last 10 minutes or so before I turned off the machine, forming what looked like a continuous line on the 8-hour ResScan graph. I don't know what it means (any interpretations are welcome), but it wasn't really a sleep disturbance because I wasn't asleep. I don't know if it was because my breaths were slow or shallow or what, but what I was feeling was total relaxation. So I'm not going to let that 5.5 worry me...

I've experienced exactly the same thing many times... and nobody can give me good explanations to those situations. I also have a Resmed machine (Autoset II) which seems to be a key factor as this doesn't seem to happen with Respironics in as much as I can see. Figures are indicators only and sometime liars. Don't trust them absolutely! What is important is what happens during the night and especially your saturation levels and tangible results! Do you dream? Do you have more energy etc... ? And between you and I to chase for the sweet spot, the best AI and AHI is up to a certain extent useless. My sweet spot seems to be 10.O-14.4 but I am totally convinced that a range from 9-15 on a long period would not change anything to the big picture. That type of "performance" has probably no impact on our individual health. That, however, is very good for forums discussions!

[RickE]

This thread is very, very interesting. Since recently joining cpaptalk, I've pondered some of the same questions myself. For example, I've considered buying an oximeter and the software for my CPAP so that I can review the data on a, perhaps, weekly basis.

What do most folks think about performing some of your own analysis of your sleep data?

[jrfoster]

This thread is very, very interesting. Since recently joining cpaptalk, I've pondered some of the same questions myself. For example, I've considered buying an oximeter and the software for my CPAP so that I can review the data on a, perhaps, weekly basis.

What do most folks think about performing some of your own analysis of your sleep data?

People on the forum will tell you and I whole heartedly agree, that we need to take charge of our own therapy. The experience in the forum is much better than the so-called professionals that tell us to keep our hands off! Tracking your stats with a smart card and reader will tell you if you are getting the therapy you need or if you need to tweak something. Too many of the so called professionals are not CPAPers and have not suffered with sleep apnea. They have learned from a book.

I track my stats on a weekly basis and can tell how well I am doing. Concerning AHI and what is good and bad all depends alot on how you feel. My AHI over the last couple of years has averaged out to about 2.5. Of course you have some bad days and maybe even weeks, but it eventually gets back to where it needs to be. Thanks to people on this forum who have shared their experience with me. My doctor who is certified sleep specialist (I guess that means he took a week-end course at some hotel in the islands? ) told me I should not be messing around with my machine or trying to interpret the data. Then he said 'I want to see you in 6 months'. Took $200 and that was the end of the 10 minute visit! That was two years ago and he still hasn't called to find out how I am doing. Bottom line, take care of yourself, use the help this forum can offer from the non professionals who live with sleep apean every day!

Jeff

[jdm2857]

While I agree that SP02 is important, can't one wind up with an SP02 that is acceptable, but still have enough events with awakenings to totally distrupt their sleep stages?

That can't be good, either.

[jrfoster]

While I agree that SP02 is important, can't one wind up with an SP02 that is acceptable, but still have enough events with awakenings to totally distrupt their sleep stages?

That can't be good, either.

I agree that ones 02 stats can be in the normal range even though many events throughout the night keep waking us up. It's the events that wake us not the low O2 stats.
I have never had a problem with O2 stats being low thank goodness!

Jeff

[Muse-Inc]

...can't one wind up with an SP02 that is acceptable, but still have enough events with awakenings to totally distrupt their sleep stages?

Absolutely! In my PSG I had quite a few spontaneous awakenings not associated with respiration or desats. I have decided the difference between them and events that cause awakening is in my pulse & breath rate; if I'm not sucking in air with a fast and noticeably strong heart rate, it was one of those spontaneous awakenings. After an event, I am slow to fall back asleep; after one of the spontaneous thingees I fall back asleep within moments.