ResMed machines - are central apneas counted?

Do the ResMed machines count central apneas, or only obstructive apneas?

~ DreamOn

DreamOn wrote:Do the ResMed machines count central apneas, or only obstructive apneas?

~ DreamOn

Both

They can't tell the difference. They use air flow to detect events, so they lump them together. If the ResMed Auto detects what it thinks is an apnea without preceding snores or flow limitations that may push the pressure above 10 cm., they won't pursue them due to their A10 algorithm......which tells it to stop at 10 cm. because there may be a chance of inducing a Central Apnea.

On the other hand, the old Puritan Bennett 420 E and the newer Covidien Auto were and are (supposedly) able to do a better job of detecting the differences and reporting what it believes to be Centrals.


Den

Thanks so much for answering my question, Uncle_Bob and Wulfman! I'm still learning about all this stuff.... I figured that flow limitations were part of the equation, but I wasn't sure if it only counted apneas preceded by snores. It would be nice to know if an apnea was a central or obstructive.

~ DreamOn