1% periodic breathing

Hello. I've used my CPAP for 11 days now. 3 days showed 1% periodic breathing. Should I be concerned?

Tat323 wrote:Hello. I've used my CPAP for 11 days now. 3 days showed 1% periodic breathing. Should I be concerned?

I would not be concerned about this unless you have a documented history of congestive heart failure. There is a particular kind of periodic breathing (called Cheyne Stokes respiration) that is common in congestive heart failure, and its presence in congestive heart failure is important. (However, it's also worth noting that CSR in congestive heart failure is NOT restricted to sleep breathing; it pops up in wake breathing as well.)

It's probably not a big deal, but it should be discussed with a doctor. You can discuss this with you primary care physician, your cardiologist or pulmonologist (if you're already seeing either of these), or the CPAP prescribing doctor.

it's important to note that periodic breathing is not harmful in itself, it's just that it is possibly an indicator of problems. Certainly, this is no reason to stop using CPAP, and it's no reason to make a super-urgent doctor appointment.