Checking pressures of masks

In the latest cpap.com newsletter re the Remstar Auto w/cflex, it states:

"Pressures should be verified when using masks and nasal interfaces produced by other manufacturers." I asked my respiratory therapist about this and she did not have a clue.

Johnny, Ted, anyone else got an answer. Eagerly awaiting your response.

Respironics does not issue this caveat with their fixed pressure machines relative to masks to the best of my knowledge. So this is not an issue of fixed pressure delivery. AutoPAPs rely on subtle airflow variations to detect obstructive precursors. Specifically it is the narrow-diameter nasal interfaces that Respironcs lays absolutely no (sleep-event-detection and pressure response) compatibility guarantees about. None the less, most RemStar Auto patients report faring "okay" with narrow-diameter nasal interfaces such as the Breeze. "Narrow diameter" concerns tend to hint at the venturi effect possibly skewing the subtle airlow signals (the most subtle airflow signals resulting from obstructive precursors and incipient obstructive events). My guess is that patients near the edge of the Remstar Auto detection/response envelope are those most likely to be affected by this potential narrow-diameter incompatibility.

Unfortunately, this kind of signal-skewing verification relative to pressure response to sleep events cannot occur with a simple manometer. Rather, it would have to happen indirectly via a PSG sleep study. Not at all feasible for most of us.

SWS,

Thank you for your reply.

The strange thing is that I can set the Swift at a setting of 7 which eliminates snoring. However, in order to eliminate snoring, I have to up the setting to 11 for the Nasalaire I (narrow diameter) & a setting of 11 for the F&P Flexfit 405.

I am using a Remstar Pro w/cflex but am thinking that perhaps an auto would be better.

My sleep doctor wrote a prescription for Auto with a fixed pressure so I have to pay for it if I get it. I asked him to write one for 2 pressures but he refused. He also does not prescribe a humidifier unless asked.

Yoga wrote:The strange thing is that I can set the Swift at a setting of 7 which eliminates snoring. However, in order to eliminate snoring, I have to up the setting to 11 for the Nasalaire I (narrow diameter) & a setting of 11 for the F&P Flexfit 405.

I am using a Remstar Pro w/cflex but am thinking that perhaps an auto would be better.

When you refer to "eliminating snore" do you refer to the snore tick marks on the Pro 2's Encore data reports, or audible snore witnessed by human ears?

I use the ResMed Auto Spirit with the Swift Nasal Prongs and a Respironics Gel Mask. With the Nasal Pillows it runs between 10 to 11.5 for a pressure and with the mask I get up to 12.5 The ResMed Auto Spirit also has a mask leak test mode to test the fit & seal. My Spirit is set at 7 on the low end and 16 on the high end....no audible snores with either mask and haven't had the data read yet to see if it is detect any in audible snores....Seems to work get with both the mask and the pillows though.