Can CPAP/APAP Treatment Be Dangerous?

Since joining this board in October, I have read a number of times of people that just 'suspect' they have OSA due to the fact they are tired all the time, and decide to start self prescribed treatment. I know there are also people that question the validity of their sleep study as well, and assuming a 'false positive' could happen, they would be using treatment without cause as well.

I have accepted that my study was most likely correct, and have moved down the road to treating myself as I should, and things are going pretty well at this point. This question is purely hypothetical, and has nothing to do with my personal situation.

Just curious if a normal/healthy person could be harmed by using a xpap at normal pressures when not really needed? I'm assuming the answer is no, unless the pressures were to induce numerous lengthy centrals, or the person has one of the contraindicated health issues that applies to all of us. What say you?

YES! Very it can cause you to die from Old Age! Been posted before. Jim

Mark55 wrote:Just curious if a normal/healthy person could be harmed by using a xpap at normal pressures when not really needed? I'm assuming the answer is no, unless the pressures were to induce numerous lengthy centrals, or the person has one of the contraindicated health issues that applies to all of us. What say you?

+1 ... That's what I would think as well.

Mark55 wrote: . . . one of the contraindicated health issues that applies to all of us. . . .

"All of us"? The conditions that apply are EXTREMELY RARE.
Also, such conditions could only be present in an individual
who would be unmistakeably very, very ill already.
Therefore, COMPLETELY HARMLESS.

chunkyfrog wrote:

Mark55 wrote: . . . one of the contraindicated health issues that applies to all of us. . . .

"All of us"? The conditions that apply are EXTREMELY RARE.
Also, such conditions could only be present in an individual
who would be unmistakeably very, very ill already.
Therefore, COMPLETELY HARMLESS.

Yes,....all of us (humans) are subject to the qualifier of contraindicated conditions no matter how rare they might be.

Contraindicated means 'should not be used' and is valid regardless of how few people fall into that sample group. I'm speaking of the entire population of the world, not just this board.

What part of "EXTREMELY RARE" is impossible to comprehend?
Also, those conditions are very, very severe!
One would not be unaware of having one.
Unless that person were so clueless as to be beyond hope.

Mark55 wrote:Since joining this board in October, I have read a number of times of people that just 'suspect' they have OSA due to the fact they are tired all the time, and decide to start self prescribed treatment. I know there are also people that question the validity of their sleep study as well, and assuming a 'false positive' could happen, they would be using treatment without cause as well.

I have accepted that my study was most likely correct, and have moved down the road to treating myself as I should, and things are going pretty well at this point. This question is purely hypothetical, and has nothing to do with my personal situation.

Just curious if a normal/healthy person could be harmed by using a xpap at normal pressures when not really needed? I'm assuming the answer is no, unless the pressures were to induce numerous lengthy centrals, or the person has one of the contraindicated health issues that applies to all of us. What say you?

No.
Your question was about "a normal/healthy person"
And, since all these machines generate is air flow ( that's why they're called "flow generators" ) there would be no effect on those users.
Presumably, they would not have Centrals either.
But, most of the machines made in the last 15 years or so have algorithms to detect and prevent Centrals from occurring to any degree.
There were even sophisticated bi-level type machines that were made in the early 2000's for users with complicated uses and breathing issues ( Spontaneous and Timed, Auto Servo Ventilation, COPD, obese hypoventilation among other conditions).

How "dangerous" are CPAPs? Peter Farrell (founder and former CEO of ResMed) had some thoughts about that.

About Peter Farrell:
http://investors.resmed.com/investor-re ... c74641b5b9


http://www.sleepguide.com/forum/topics/ ... s-are-cpap

viewtopic/t2204/Comments-from-Peter-Far ... cture.html

https://www.talkaboutsleep.com/message- ... treatment/


Den

.

I agree that the average healthy person need not have concerns about CPAP being harmful. A user who develops pressure induced centrals could be an example of an otherwise healthy person before CPAP who could have a problem, but one that could be recognized and addressed if the user's machine data is being followed.

It's the unhealthy sort with certain lung diseases that might need special attention. Think I read on here once about a cardiac condition that could make CPAP use questionable but can't remember the details. Anyone know what the condition is that I'm remembering?

But as for healthy folks, I wouldn't hesitate to let any family member try one of my machines if they wanted.

Mark55 wrote:assuming a 'false positive' could happen, they would be using treatment without cause as well.

I don't see a "false positive" happening. The test counts the number of times you stop breathing. Not really rocket science.... I'm sitting here thinking of a way I can sit by a patient with a pencil and a clipboard counting a how many times a person stops breathing..... man.... I guess I need to get a job...

Sheriff

My sleep doctor, when he saw I had adjusted the recommended pressures, said I could blow out my thorax. I have no idea if that was good medical advice, or just disgruntled ego talking.

Cpapian wrote:My sleep doctor, when he saw I had adjusted the recommended pressures, said I could blow out my thorax. I have no idea if that was good medical advice, or just disgruntled ego talking.

On a similar note, former sleep docs would be incredulous that I adjusted my own pressure. But then when they saw the data indicated my AHI was sub 1, they had nothing further to say.

I suspect your sleep doc's disgruntled ego was talking. Did he/she say anything about your data?

Cpapian wrote:My sleep doctor, when he saw I had adjusted the recommended pressures, said I could blow out my thorax. I have no idea if that was good medical advice, or just disgruntled ego talking.

Time to get a real doctor, that one smoked too much pot. Just in case I wouldn't sneeze or cough! Jim

Some Doctors hang out their Shingles, some there Underwear!

Cpapian wrote:My sleep doctor, when he saw I had adjusted the recommended pressures, said I could blow out my thorax. I have no idea if that was good medical advice, or just disgruntled ego talking.

Ask your (idiotic) doctor if patients with Diabetes are allowed to adjust their insulin dosages or if every patient has to go to the doctor to get their injections.
That should shut him up.
But, if you wish to go "armed", take copies of your reports to show him that your adjustments make sense and you're going in the right direction.
That's what I did on my first meeting after starting therapy. He prescribed a pressure of 18 cm. and I reset my machine to 10 cm. after trying 18 for about an hour. My reports showed that a pressure of 10 brought my AHI down to under 1.0 within a few nights. He was sputtering around asking me how I changed my machine and I just explained that I had gone into the setup and changed it myself. I soon "kicked him to the curb" because I realized he was an ego-maniacal jerk (who didn't know squat) and I couldn't stand to be in the same room with him.


Den

.

Cpapian wrote:just disgruntled ego talking

My vote is ego....if your thorax was that fragile then you wouldn't have been (or shouldn't have been) put on cpap to start with.
20 cm won't even inflate a balloon...

Just don't blow out your Lorax because that is an important inhabitant of your respiratory system.


"Presumably, they would not have Centrals either.
But, most of the machines made in the last 15 years or so have algorithms to detect and prevent Centrals from occurring to any degree."

??