Starting APAP pressure range?

Hi all,

Just got my brand-new Respironics APAP! Mmm... that new xPAP smell. . .

This is my first APAP. I've been titrated twice at 11 cm, and have been running my CPAP at 12 cm. What range should I set my APAP at? I was thinking of starting at 8-12. Or should I leave it at the default, which I think is 3-20?

I'm worried that if the initial pressure is too low, the flap on my mask will keep moving back and forth.

Thanks,
Andy

I'm still new at this stuff too but here's what these great people recommended to me...

Don't use the default settings as it takes too much time for the pressure to rise to catch those apneas. The closer you get your number range the better results you should have. Also turn off the ramp setting, make sure that you don't have split night enabled, and enable c-flex to like 2 or 3 (experiment with this helps with the exhale)

I was tritated at 14 so I leave the top pressure as such. My range currently is set at 8-14 and next week I'll probably move it to 9-14.

I'm sure one of the more knowledgable people here will add to this and help make your life better.

What equipment are you using?


_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): C-FLEX, Ramp

_________________

CPAPopedia Keywords Contained In This Post (Click For Definition): C-FLEX, Ramp

CompuTech007 wrote:What equipment are you using?

I revised my profile to show the new stuff: Respironics M Auto CPAP with A-flex

You might try 10 to 12, since your Rx is 11. Be aware that you may have trouble with arousals with the various pressures....I did, and went back to running my APAP on CPAP mode.

The tighter the range, the less "intrusive" the pressure variances are....IMHO.


JeffH

Andy

After 2 years of CPAP, I got my AFLEX M series a couple of months ago. Titrated at 8 cm, I set my range from 7-9 and had reasonable good success. Then, I had a minor cold, and found 7.5 - 9.5 worked better. Things are going so well, I'm reluctant to move it (for example, last night I had zero AHI).

Some folks (Like Jeff, above) go back to straight CPAP and have superior results; however, I'm now a huge proponent of Autopaps, set to a tight range (2 cm in my case.)

Good luck finding the best therapeutic pressure range for you. Oh, and I agree about the "new xPAP smell".

Regards all - - Tom

andy88488 wrote:Hi all,

Just got my brand-new Respironics APAP! Mmm... that new xPAP smell. . .

This is my first APAP. I've been titrated twice at 11 cm, and have been running my CPAP at 12 cm. What range should I set my APAP at? I was thinking of starting at 8-12. Or should I leave it at the default, which I think is 3-20?

I'm worried that if the initial pressure is too low, the flap on my mask will keep moving back and forth.

Thanks,
Andy

The 8 - 12 you're thinking about would be fine for starters.

Do you have the EncoreViewer software to monitor your data?
If so, then I'd set it at 8 - 20.

In my non-doctorly opinion, it's the minimum pressure that's the most important to "get right". It needs to be set up high enough to ward off obstructive apneas for autotitration to work best, imho.

Setting the maximum pressure up way higher than what the machine will actually need to use doesn't generally matter for most people, since unused pressure up there is just that...UNused. If the machine does use pressures you didn't expect, given that 11 or 12 is supposed to be an effective single pressure for you, you'd want to fine-tooth-comb the overnight data to see why. Perhaps a lot of leaks going on that are excesive, but are not quite hitting the "Large Leak" category that would make the machine drop to the minimum and stop recording apneas/hypopneas.

You could always set the max pressure lower if need be. I just like to give it plenty of ceiling up above to see what it actually does use. Chances are it won't use more than 13 or 14 (if that) even if you leave the top open up to 20.