Rescan results (questions on detail graphs/data)

[smanning]

I'm new to using Resscan and I have some questions / want know know how to interpret some of the data I'm seeing.

Here's my understanding / lack of understanding:

Leak - doesn't look to be an issue for me.
Flow - don't know what it means why does it go negative/positive?
Pressure - get it.
AHI - apnea / hyponea index right? so it's just a function of events and time, correct?
flow limitation - lots going on on this chart but have no idea if the data is indicating i need to change something?
Snore Index - Too bad it doesn't record it for us!
Events - I understand what central and obstructive are, i sort of understand what Hyoponeas are - i don't know how to interpret the numbers and if the data is indicating i need to change something. Is it a count of events or a measure of severity?
Minute Ventilation - not sure what this means.

Thank You!

Stephen

P.S.: The whole "no more hangover" thing is true! My CPAP is now "cool" because of this! LOL

[jdm2857]

Hypopneas are reductions in breathing that exeed a certain threshold but are not severe enough to meet the definition of an apnea.

AHI is the number of apneas and hypopneas per hour.

Flow is a measure of the volume of air entering and leaving the body. Since that flow reverses with every inspiration/expiration, the sign of the flow measurement move from positive to negative and back,

Your prescribed pressure of 5 cm H20 is very low. You (and your doctor) might consider gradually increasing the pressure and watch the effect on your data and the way you feel.

[smanning]

Thanks Jeff,

Can anyone else chime in with:

--what about the number associated with the various events that label the little "mushrooms" on the chart?

--I'd also like some insight on flow limitation and minute ventilation...

Background: I'm normal weight, no chronic health conditions, diagnosed in 2002 with pressure of 7. full nose mask and gear was horrible to sleep with, opted for Bilateral terbinate reduction, uvulectomy and Septoplasty, thought i was fixed and remained on Astelin, Rhinocort, still had GERD, etc.

In 2009 I began weaning myself off of all Rx meds for GERD, Rhinitis, etc. Snoring/apnea came back real strong... but overall felt better because I was off all the meds but mood and attention span were starting to suffer. I'd rather sleep with my CPAP and be Rx free than pump my body full of that poison!

Stephen

[jabman]

I am still not able to bring up those charts. How did you get the detailed ca\harts and summary charts? I can bring up the summary data but not the charts?

[jdm2857]

The numbers at the top of the bars representing apneas are the length of the apneas in seconds.

As for flow limitation, take a look at the vertical axis of the graph. The nice curved waveform at the top represents breathing flow with no flow limitations. The next waveform down represents some limitation. See how the top of the nice smooth wave starts becoming flatter? The bottom waveform represents extreme flow limitation. The height of the waveform is lessened (meaning there is less flow) and the wave is totally flat.

So a perfect flow limitation graph would be a straight line at the very top -- no limitation all the time. Each movement downward represents a period of limited flow, most probably due to airway collapse.

[smanning]

Jeff, that makes sense on the flow limitation thank you.

10-14 second apnea's aren't bad, correct?

Jabman - ran a report and used the "all available data" option then used Snag-It 10 to do a scrolling screen shot. into a PNG file.

[jdm2857]

By definition 10 seconds is the minimum length for an apnea. And while yours could be worse, they still are not good.

[smanning]

MD said I was having 78 apneas an hour before they did the CPAP at 5. it was 7 a few years ago before i had my upper respiratory surgery so I could try a 6 and probably be OK right? any other settings changes for the s9 elite that would help reduce apneas?

Oh by the way, the heated hose has made the air so comfortable sometimes i wake momentarily at night and don't think the CPAP is on, i pull the mask away to make sure there's still pressure.

The people at the sleep center didn't give my MD very good data to look at, i'm going to take my laptop in to my next appointment and review in ResScan with the doctor

[KatieW]

EPR is Exhale Relief. With a pressure of only 5 cm H2O, you might be able to reduce or turn off EPR, and still be comfortable. With a EPR of 3, 2, or 1, you are usually reducing your exhale pressure by that amount, (though the lowest your cpap will go is to 4).