How bad are these results?

Hello

My brother was just diagnosed. He is quite resilent to talk about the details of this test, so this is the only thing I could get from him.
The results are:

Oxygen level dropped to 82%
24 episodes (not sure if it was per nicht, per hour, he had the standard test - polysomnography)
Diagnose: Obstructive apnea / hypopnea

He is 39 years old, overweight (1.70cm height and 80kgm). He has a stressful job and sometimes has to work long hours, he had have alcohol problems but nowadays is not drinking often as before. Probabily 1-2 times a week but when he does he drinks too much. he does not have an elonged neck.
He is taking xenical to reduce his weight and was diagnosed with apena just 2 days ago. Im really owrried for him, he sometimes does not remember if he had eaten on what he had, having headaches every morning and feeling really tired and irritated. Last night arrived drunk at 4am and said wanted to die today had to work at 8am

I don't know what to do and how to help me. Also don't know how bad is his apnea / hypopnea

Please any advices are welcome.

Bad. Oyxgen levels should never ever drop below 90%. And an Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI = number of events per hour) of 24 is also bad.

At this point, the best advice for your brother and yourself is to study everything you can about Obstructive Sleep Apnea.
There's is a yellow light bulb in the middle of the top part of the screen - click on it and you will find much information worth reading.

If your brother did not have a technician come in to try a mask and pressure on him during the sleep study, then the next step will either be a sleep study in which they search for the correct pressure (that's called "titration") or prehaps he will be given a self adjusting machine for use at home so they could see his pressure needs.

Obstructive sleep apnea sometimes runs in families -- you may turn out to have it too.

apantoja wrote:Hello

My brother was just diagnosed. He is quite resilent to talk about the details of this test

<deleted details>
he had have alcohol problems but nowadays is not drinking often as before. Probabily 1-2 times a week but when he does he drinks too much. he does not have an elonged neck.
He is taking xenical to reduce his weight and was diagnosed with apena just 2 days ago. Im really owrried for him, he sometimes does not remember if he had eaten on what he had, having headaches every morning and feeling really tired and irritated. Last night arrived drunk at 4am and said wanted to die today had to work at 8am

I really wish I did not have to write this. But I think you need to hear it:

Given your brother's past problems with alcohol AND the seriousness of his sleep apnea diagnosis AND the fact that many people has serious problems adjusting to CPAP, your brother is at a VERY HIGH RISK of having his current problems with alcohol get FAR WORSE in the IMMEDIATE FUTURE.

And acknowledging that his alcohol consumption is problematic is AT LEAST as IMPORTANT as getting him to deal with properly treating the OSA through correct and consistent use of the CPAP machine.

If you think your brother is WILLING to hear it, you should suggest that he get help for the alcohol problems: Drinking TOO MUCH 1--2 times a WEEK is a REAL PROBLEM and it WILL ADVERSELY affect his ability to cope with what will be asked of him concerning CPAP therapy. Your brother may well resist this suggestion. And you will have to deal with his decision regarding whether to seek help for the alcohol related issuers.

And YOU should consider attending an Al-Anon group yourself. Al-Anon is a support group for friends and families of heavy drinkers. They will understand the trials and tribulations you will be going through with your brother. They will help you realize that as much as you WANT to help your brother---both in terms of the alcohol and OSA in particular and in terms of doing the right things for his health in general---ultimately HE MUST DECIDE HE WANTS TO HELP before he'll be able to address his own issues---be they issues concerning his OSA and CPAP therapy or his alcohol consumption.

I will keep you in my thoughts and prayers

robysue

PS. As ozij says, OSA can run in families. So if you have any reason at all to suspect that you might have it, you should get yourself tested too.