S9 Questions

Have a question for my co-worker friend. He brought his cpap to work today. First time I got to see this kind in operation.
It is an auto, that much I know. Settings are minimum 4, Ramp 4, max 20. EPR - Full time; EPR level - Patient. (NOTE: Outside of minimum/maximum this is all greek to me on a V9). Mask: Swift FX Pillows. He went from AHI 75, to cpap 4 which I congratulated him for his first week.

These are my/our questions:
Outside of contacting the doctor, how do we find out what kind of S9 it is? I looked at his paperwork and couldn't find out.
What does both EPR terms mean?
For him, he's having issues on the exhale. Not feeling comfortable. Otherwise he's doing ok with it.

Before anyone has a chance to say, I'll say now. I've encouraged him to register, which he hasn't. It's not my place to nag, that's his wife's job I'm just trying to make the transition to cpap comfortable for him.

Thanks.
Starlette

I just double checked on mine as I already knew from the provider that it is a S9 Elite. It is shown on the cpap unit itself (not the humidifier on the right side) and it is on the rectangular black panel on the left side of the cpap unit just above the “On/Off” switch. I would presume the “Auto” version would be in the same general location. The “S9” is on the bottom and back of the unit.

Roger

These are my/our questions:
Outside of contacting the doctor, how do we find out what kind of S9 it is?
Look on the Left side of the machine where the start pushbutton is. Should say Autoset or Elite or Escape if it is an S9. You can also go to ResMed website and pick up model number and check his machine

What does both EPR terms mean?
Expiratory Pressure Relief- if set on 3, then the machine will lower the set pressure by 3 cm H20 on each exhalation and then will return to set pressure for inhalation.

For him, he's having issues on the exhale. Not feeling comfortable. Otherwise he's doing ok with it.
Keep EPR set at 3 then til he gets accustomed. Make sure also set to EPR full time. There is also a responsiveness setting for EPR, doing this off top of my head, something like max, medium? I think mine is at medium. Not sure if I am correct on that part.

Machine name should be up on the top of the machine right above the round button. Either AutoSet or Escape Auto.
Also there are model numbers on the bottom.

With range of 4 to 20.... It will be either S9 Escape Auto or S9 Autoset.
S9 Autoset offers full complete data.

S9 Escape Auto offers AHI and pressure only.

See here for video explaining.....http://www.cpaplibrary.com/machines.html along with pictures of where name shows.

Starlette wrote: how do we find out what kind of S9 it is? I looked at his paperwork and couldn't find out.

You can look on the top of the machine. If it says "Autoset" up near the on/off button, it's a plain autopap...an excellent autopap.

If it says "Escape Auto", it's an autopap that gives limited data. Gives no Leak data, and no breakdown of AHI to see what just the "AI" (apnea index) is. I wouldn't want an "Escape Auto."

If it says "VPAP Auto" it's a bilevel (separate inhale/exhale pressure settings) machine capable of autotitrating. Another excellent machine. Unlikely that's the one he has.

Starlette wrote: EPR - Full time; EPR level - Patient.
---
What does both EPR terms mean?

EPR is ResMed's name for its pressure relief feature when the person is exhaling.
EPR "full time" means that the exhalation pressure relief will be "on" all the time...not just for the duration of a ramp time. I would want it "full time."
EPR level - "patient" means the person using the machine can choose (and change -- in the "patient" settings) the amount of pressure drop that feels comfortable for exhaling.
EPR "1" will drop the pressure 1 cm when the person breathes out. EPR "2" drops it 2 cms; EPR "3" drops it 3 cms.

Starlette wrote:For him, he's having issues on the exhale. Not feeling comfortable. Otherwise he's doing ok with it.

If it feels difficult for him to breathe out against pressure, he might want to set EPR at a level of "2" or "3." I personally like EPR "3."

However, since his machine's pressure range is set "wide open" ( 4 - 20 ) it's going to start out using a pressure of only 4 for him each time he turns the machine on. EPR won't be doing anything since 4 is as low a pressure as the machine can use, anyway. He'll start out the night breathing in AND out at just a pressure of 4, no matter what he sets the EPR level at.

As the night goes on, if the machine senses he needs (which he probably will) more pressure than just 4 cm to keep his airway open and the machine raises the pressure, EPR will have the opportunity to do its comfort thing...dropping the pressure each time he exhales.

If I were him, and wanted to be using EPR to make exhaling easier right from the start each night... I'd do this:

I'd go into the clinical setup menu and change the minimum pressure setting to 7. Then I'd set EPR at a level of "2" or "3" for easy exhaling.

If the minimum pressure for the autopap is set for 7 cm H20, and EPR "full time" is set for EPR "3", this is how the machine would start out each time for him:

It would start blowing a pressure of 7 (instead of starting at his current pressure of 4) and would drop down to a pressure of 4 each time he exhaled. Probably would feel quite comfortable for him.

As the night went on, if the autopap machine needed to raise the pressure (autotitrating the pressure according to what it senses in the airflow from him) it would raise the pressure upward from 7, but would continue dropping the pressure 3 cms for breathing out.

Where & how does he need to go to set the EPR himself/recheck to see if it's at 3?

The number on the back label for the S9 Autoset is 36005, you can do a forum search for that number and find a list of the other model numbers.

'Not feeling comfortable with the exhale' doesn't always mean he needs EPR. He may feel like the machine is telling him when to breathe. Press the settings button to see what EPR is set too. With a starting pressure fo 4, I would reccomend turning it off, then go up from 0 if he feels he needs it.

He needs to download the software, if it is data capable and find out where his pressure is running. At 4 minimum, he shouldn't need ramp. That low of a pressure would make me uncomfortable.

And of course he needs to register here.

I'm going to let you guys respond to my thread till 3:30pm then make a printout of it and give it to him.

Thank you all in advance!

Starlette wrote:Where & how does he need to go to set the EPR himself/recheck to see if it's at 3?

Needs to go to Clinical set up.

Provider manual will explain how. Can be obtained in Uncle Bob's signature line along with software.
memberlist.php?mode=viewprofile&u=38643

For quick how to get to clinical setup menu with pictures, look here
http://www.apneaboard.com/ResMed/ResMed ... Setup.html

Starlette wrote:Where & how does he need to go to set the EPR himself/recheck to see if it's at 3?

There are two silver rectangle shaped buttons on right of screen near a push button. Hold the bottom silver rectangular button in at same time as the push button next to it and hold both down, that gets you into clinician's menu and you can scroll thru there to look at EPR settings and change if needed.

Nope. She said in the initial post that the EPR was set to patient. PATIENT settings are in SETTINGS. Press the lower button with the "check marks" on it. That's where you change anything that is set to "PATIENT".

Lizistired wrote:Nope. She said in the initial post that the EPR was set to patient. PATIENT settings are in SETTINGS. Press the lower button with the "check marks" on it. That's where you change anything that is set to "PATIENT".

I am famous for not paying attention!

Thank you all for responding to my post. I'll be forwarding this information to my co-worker.

Thank you again.