AHI Average

[Gordyp]

Since I seem to be back on this great site, there's something I'm unclear about and hope someone might know the answer?

I live in a very isolated area so I opted not to use a provider or technical services. I went to a sleep clinic and was told I needed
a CPAP machine so I set the whole thing up myself. Everything is working well.

Here's my question: Does anyone know what a good average AHA is? When I started about two years ago, my sleep specialist said I was a strong candidate
for CPAP. I believe my AHA at that time was around 15 or 16. Currently my average over two months lies around 6 or 7. My time in Apnea over 5 or six hours
currently averages 7 or 8 minutes.

I'm wondering if right now that is at the bottom of the range? Which leads to a more difficult question: Is CPAP therapy a medical device
which is always necessary, like a crutch for a permanent disability, or can usage solve the problem?

If I've said anything stupid, please be kind. Iim not up on this stuff.

Cheers, Gordyp.

[jules]

you have the software?

you need to check the leak graphs - if you have bad leaks all the great AHI numbers don't mean much

you have your sleep study and titration? did you have centrals? the inability of the machine to deal with centrals can cause elevated AHI's - read this thread for example -

viewtopic/t38075/viewtopic.php?p=331972#p331972


Ideally, in garden variety OSA, the lower the AHI the better. Under 5 at diagnosis they don't treat (notice I am talking OSA nothing more) - some ppl can consistently have AHI under 1 or 2

so there is more than the simple my AHI is ........ so I am doing great or badly - it is more complicated than that however with your AHI values, you need to start the homework assignment of getting more information on why it is higher than expected for a person with garden variety OSA

[mindy]

My sleep doc told me that AHI should be under 5. I agree with Jules that an exact number isn't the goal but aiming for less than 5 is important. I would also look at how many are OAs and how many are hypopneas since the former have a greater effect on reduced oxygen saturation. 7-8 minutes per night in apnea is probably a bit more than you'd want to really feel better.

Perhaps a better way to think about it is what the obstructive apneas do to us physiologically. Apneas result in lower oxygen saturation which affects inflammation and almost all organs in the body.

Hope that helps.

Mindy

[Hawthorne]

Your AHI is too high.

We need some information to help you get it to a better level so that you receive better therapy. Sleep apnea does not usually go away. It is not curable but very treatable with cpap therapy.

There are lots of people here who can help you improve your cpap therapy. I see you have auto cpap. That's good.

How long ago were you diagnosed? I think you said a couple fo years ago. What was your titrated pressure?

Do you have your machine set in auto mode or cpap mode? If cpap, at what pressure? If auto, what pressure range do you have it set at?

Do you have software and is that where you are getting your information about your AHI?

What mask are you using? How old is your mask?

If you answer these questions, there are people on the forum who can start to help you bring that AHI down so that you get better therapy.

[RipVW]

Yep, too high. All I've ever read here or elsewhere says that AHI needs to be 5 or less. Good luck!

[Bonnie corgi lover]

My sleep center study AHI was 67. My CPAP-treated AHI varies from 0.8 to 1.6. I'm a newbie (only been on CPAP for 2 months) but my understanding is that 5 or below is considered normal. I also read that some people need to be under 3 to feel good the next day. You've come to the right place for help.

[Wulfman]

I think Hawthorne pretty much covered all the things I was going to ask.....

Yep. Your numbers are still too high.....including the time in apnea. (sounds like you're using MyEncore)

Den

[jules]

until we know the diagnosis is just OSA and not mixed apneas and not know if centrals showed up during titration, then all it up in the air

if the diagnosis is just OSA, then I agree the AHI is too high, but right now, we are lacking a crucial bit of information

[Gordyp]

Hello,
My profile outlines what hardware I have. I've been on the machine about 18 months. I'm using A-flex Auto with full mask.
Here are some stats:


REMstar Auto Statistics

1. Average usage of 5 hours per day over 16 days.

Auto-CPAP Mean Pressure 10.0 cm H2O
Auto-CPAP Peak Average Pressure 12.3 cm H2O
Average Device Pressure <= 90% of Time 13.4 cm H2O

Average Time in Large Leak Per Day 1.2 mins.
Average Time in Apnea Per Day 6.8 mins.
Average AHI 6.9

2. Average usage of 5.5 hours per day over 6 days.

Auto-CPAP Mean Pressure 9.8 cm H2O
Auto-CPAP Peak Average Pressure 10.6 cm H2O
Average Device Pressure <= 90% of Time 14.7 cm H2O

Average Time in Large Leak Per Day 0 mins.
Average Time in Apnea Per Day 9.1 mins.
Average AHI 7.6

I tried to add a table of daily events but it doesn't line up? I realize this is not much information. How do I post Data in table form?

Gordyp.

[Hawthorne]

I have the same machine as you do.

Do you know what your minimum pressure setting is? What is your maximum pressure setting?

Do you have software and a reader? Is that where you go this data or was it from the LCD screen on your machine?

Posting a page of daily data here is helpful. If you are using software you need to get page 4 (daily data) in jpeg format and use a free program (photobucket.com) is one to post that page here. You upload the page to that free program and then you can post it here. It's tricky to do that.

Check your PMs.

[nomoore]

We definitely need to know what the min and max are set at on the machine.