Flow waveform analysis: examples?

[Ughmahedhurtz]

Hi, all. I've been doing some google site: searches hereabouts and I'm not finding any obvious examples so I thought I'd ask. Are there breathing flow waveform examples of different types of events e.g. snoring, exhale partial obstructions, etc.? I've taken two snapshots from my S9 data and would like to throw out my idea about the two and see what you folks think.

Note: scale = 30 seconds L to R.

First is the flow (L/min) waveform during a good sleep period (where pressure is ramping down and breathing is consistent for 20+ minutes):


Second is the flow waveform during a consistent sleep period but showing what the waveform looks like during periods when I have high rates of AI events:


What I suspect this is showing is the first is sleeping on my side where I try to sleep as I have yet to successfully go to sleep or remain asleep on my back that I'm aware of, and the second is after rolling over onto my back, causing my normal exhale blockages/partial blockages. Any links to some example flow patterns and/or explanations of these waveforms that indicate specifics would be most appreciated.

Regards,
Ugh

[dave21]

I don't have any snoring graphs because the S9 and xPAP's are designed to really reduce/stop that, but take a look at http://www.osahelp.com/#6 and http://www.osahelp.com/#8 on my website, you might find some useful graphs there. There's also a link in all my posts if you ever want to get back to there in my signature.

One thing to note is everyones breathing is different depending on lung capacity and your body in general, so graphs will vary slightly person to person.

Thanks
Dave

[who]

breathing flow waveform examples of different types of events e.g. snoring

http://www.resmed.com/assets/documents/ ... ow_eng.pdf (pg 2, "Patient flow")

[who]

http://books.google.com/books?id=e9rL_f ... &q&f=false

[louwho]

My sleep enter doctor is in a large hospital in Boston. He seems to have a thing for the Phillips system one CPAP system, I think because of Waveforms readings. I tried the system one, and almost drowned (perhaps just a little exaggeration on that part). Anyway, I do not see it as a viable system for me to use. I want to use the new Airsense 10, the comment that I got back was "Airsence 10 is ok to use, but it does not transmit waveforms data". My system is old, does not transmit data, is starting to make noises, and I am approved for a new system. How important is the Waveforms information, and is there any other (recommended) system to look at?

[Pugsy]

I want to use the new Airsense 10, the comment that I got back was "Airsence 10 is ok to use, but it does not transmit waveforms data". My system is old, does not transmit data, is starting to make noises, and I am approved for a new system. How important is the Waveforms information, and is there any other (recommended) system to look at?

Right now there are 4 different models of the new ResMed AirSense.

AirSense 10 CPAP....this one does NOT do wave form...but does offer generic AHI but nothing else useful

AirSense 10 Elite...this one DOES do wave form data
AirSense 10 AutoSet and the AirSense 10 AutoSet for Her models...they also do wave form data plus the for Her model has 2 apap modes and does even more in one of those modes.

So....Resmed's new AirSense 10 line does indeed to wave form (and a bunch of other data) as long as you stay away from the plain AirSense 10 CPAP machine.

[palerider]

as far as I know, none of them "transmit" waveform data, but the resmed s9 and as10 units, except for the crap cheapest models STORE waveform data.

same as the PRS1 units. the crap cheap ones don't, the acceptable models all store the waveform data.

I could be wrong about whether the prs1s *transmit* it though.

[Guest]

I am confused by the two pervious posts, is the word 'transmit' incorrect? My older system does not have the capability to upload, through the internet (which is what I thought that transmit meant(from my original posting). The system one, I think does transmit (also the Airsense 10?) In either case, if the airsense does not transmit, does it collect the waveform information for downloading? I know that this is getting off the waveform topic somewhat, but I need the old CPAP settings, the new AUTO setting and I just do not agree with each other. Can the auto be turned off on the airsense system?

[Pugsy]

When I say full data I mean the machine collects and records and is viewable with the use of software.

Transmit to me, means sending over the airwaves via cell modem...and I have no idea what the AirSense actually sends but one person posted a copy of what they could get via the cell modem transmission and it was only the basic numbers...AHI, leak, and pressure averages...no detailed information and no graphs at all.

But yes...if it collects the data then it can be viewed with the software available.
And the AirSense models that are full efficacy data machines...you can indeed view wave form graphs using the software.

[cathyf]

From what I understand, despite my suspicions that the A10 is "phoning home" and sending data to ResMed, the "transmit" functionality on the A10 is strictly about compliance data. It's essentially sending it as a cell phone text message, and it only sends your AHI and usage data because efficacy data is a gazillion times more information than would fit in a text message. It is designed to solve a very specific problem, which is that medicare and insurance companies won't pay for a cpap that isn't being used, and the paper-pushing involved in having medical and/or dme staffers meet up with patients and read enough data off of their cards to prove that they are using the machines is costing the DMEs more than they are making in profit on the machine. When the machine phones that data in automatically, and then computers can all take care of transmitting that data to the insurance companies, then the DME can actually afford to sell cpap machines.

So it sounds like your doctor is confused about what the machines can do and what the data they can store. Carting the SD card around is a primitive form of "networking" (aka "sneakernet") but it gets the data around, and everything on the card can be read from the card and that counts as data "transmission". I have a suspicion that the doctor doesn't have the ResMed software, or has it and doesn't know how to use it, or has decided that he took the time/effort to learn the respironics software and is going to force all his patients to use those machines so he doesn't have to spend time/effort learning another piece of software.

[palerider]

So it sounds like your doctor is confused about what the machines can do and what the data they can store.

nothing new there