causing ahi's?

[ChipsXJ]

what will produce/reduce ahi's?

What specifically I am asking is:

will lifting my mask up and taking a gulp of air present as an ahi?
If i hold my breath will that present as an ahi?

Using my Remstar A-flex Auto.........when I view the ahi..........is that the last night or what time period is that encompassing?

Thanks

[Julie]

Why are you needing to lift your mask to get air? If that's an issue, you need to deal with it. If your pressure's set too low, or you've been using the ramp feature (which starts off very low) and not getting enough air, you need to either stop using the ramp (most of us have anyhow), and/or find out if your pressure setting is so low that it's not letting you breathe properly. Cpap is supposed to help, not make things worse . As far as your question goes, apnea events occur while you're asleep, so if you just think you're lifting your mask when sleeping, is there someone else there to confirm it, and the fact that you don't really awaken at those times, or are you trying to induce apneas while awake (on purpose for whatever reason)? That won't work.

[ChipsXJ]

Thanks Julie.

I am getting enough air with the machine.......lifting the mask for a 'gulp' of air is just my way of dealing with the closterphobic episodes I experience at times. Most of the time I am ok and can 'think' my through.....other times I just need to lift the mask to get a gulp of air.

My question really was: does my lifting the mask cause the machine to register an ahi......but after thinking about it some more this weekend.......I imagine it just adds to the leakage recorded, eh?

thanks again

[Georgio]

"what will produce/reduce ahi's?"

Sleep apnea produces ahi's and cpap reduces them:
OBSTRUCTIVE APNEA (OA)= cessation of airflow for 10 seconds or greater.
HYPOPNEA (H) =>50% decrease in airflow for 10 seconds or greater with a decrease in oxygen saturation of >3%.
APNEA/HYPOPNEA INDEX (AHI) = apnea plus (+) HYPOPNEA/hour of sleep.

"will lifting my mask up and taking a gulp of air present as an ahi?"

No, it will probably record as a large leak. If you are lifting your mask, it could be that your lower pressure is too low not allowing you to breathe well, or maybe you have a full face mask and can find a way to make a smaller profile nasal pillow mask work. What are your settings and what is your titrated pressure? If you don't know get full copies of all your sleep studies for your records.

"If i hold my breath will that present as an ahi?"

If you hold it long enough I'm sure it will contribue to your AHI, but I don't recommend it.

"Using my Remstar A-flex Auto.........when I view the ahi..........is that the last night or what time period is that encompassing?"

The manual shows that the default setting would display your 7 day and 30 day AHI average. Someone here may be able to tell you how to change it to 1 day, I'm not sure if that's possible. Get the software and a card reader to display your nightly information in detail. It is well worth it. I get up in the morning with my coffee and check my report, "Ahh, a nice low 0.4 AHI, and low 29 mask leak rate night. My therapy should be doing what it's supposed to! I'm going to have a good day!"

Congratulations for undertaking your therapy and asking questions to make it effective.

Georgio

[rested gal]

My question really was: does my lifting the mask cause the machine to register an ahi......but after thinking about it some more this weekend.......I imagine it just adds to the leakage recorded, eh?

Yes, if anything, adding to leak rate would be what the machine would record. However, I doubt if a single brief lifting of the mask to take one breath of "non-CPAP" air would register even as a leak. I don't think a random quick "leak breath" here and there would increase the leak rate. I'd think you'd have to breathe with the mask lifted away from face several times in a row before it would affect leak rate. I don't think one "outside the mask" breath here and there could do it. I could be wrong, though.

If i hold my breath will that present as an ahi?

"AHI" is Apnea/Hypopnea Index, so I think you mean, "will that present as an apnea or as a hypopnea?" Probably not. Unless, as Georgio said, you held your breath far longer than was comfortable to do.

Using my Remstar A-flex Auto.........when I view the ahi..........is that the last night or what time period is that encompassing?

ResMed machines give the option of viewing the Efficacy results as daily/weekly/monthly averages. Respironics machines, (like you have, Chips) give only weekly/monthly averages.

I think Respironics dropped the ball there, by not providing "daily" (last night's) results. There's a workaround for Respironics' lack of "just last night's data" via the LCD. A bit cumbersome, but, can be done if a person knows how to go into the clinical menu.

How to reset the M series machine "weekly"/"monthly" details back to zero, in order to view just last night's results the next day:

viewtopic.php?p=239127#239127

viewtopic/t29141/Resetting-the-data-on-Respironics.html

[Violet]

By reading this post, I've learnt that I need to shut off my ramp. While adjusting my pillows, etc. just before laying back to sleep with air and mask on, I find my heart rate is a little fast, thereby causing me to lift my mask for a little more air to slow my heart rate. Hopefully this will work tonight.

[Georgio]

Rested Gal you are awsome...


Violet....you may need more advice here too....however it doesn't sound right that you should have to lift your mask to get air because your heart is beating too fast. What are your settings, what is your titrated pressure?

[Violet]

Georgio,
I'm sure it's nothing more than that I'm not in a resting mode with the mask on, I'm adjusting pillows, blankets while sitting/laying down. And, all my cardic and pulmonary tests were great!

First month's Data Results (12/6/08-1/3/09)
Device Settings: Min Pres 5.0, Max Pres 10.0 EPR fulltime mode, EPR level 0.0
Pressure Med 9.8, 95th % 10.0, Max 10.0
Leak 0.0, 95th %, Max 102.0
AHI & Ai events//hr: AI 0.3, AHI 3.0 % timein Apnea 0.1, HI 2.7
Usage days not used 0

Thanks for being so observant.