Central or Obstructive ?
Hi,
When I hold my breath for a while, what type of Apnea should be reported by the machine? I tried it several times with my S9 and the results were mixed (sometimes Central and sometime Obstructive).
Thanks,
Arik
10-01-2020, 04:28 AM
(This post was last modified: 10-01-2020, 04:30 AM by multicast.)
RE: Central or Obstructive ?
The machine can't detect a "Central Apnea". The event "CA" may be defined as a detected time interval of not breathing and clear airways (detected by FOT). The adjective "central" refers to the cause of the described event which cause is impossible for the machine to determine.
Hence holding your breath causes the event "CA" or "OA" depending on the way you hold your breath.
Mike
RE: Central or Obstructive ?
holding your breath would I think show as a obstructive event. If you just pause breathing and are not "trying to hold" your breath is would show as a central. Difference being holding your breath stops air getting in and then would be obstructive (checked by the machine giving a small puff of air) but just not breathing the passage would be open without signs of obstruction.
RE: Central or Obstructive ?
I'm not sure, but I think intentional breath holding would create mixed flags on events. I try to avoid adding intentional events and have mostly outgrown holding my breath.
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RE: Central or Obstructive ?
It might not matter because it still recorded a apnea that is accumulative to overall reporting to AHI. I tried to see on the charts if flow limit and tidal volume and Inspiratory time to see what makes a CA or OA and some how they are tied in to determining which one it is by the people who design the products we are using. Interesting experiment regardless!
RE: Central or Obstructive ?
My understanding is that some machines can send a density wave, a pulse, down the tube to your airway. If it doesn't return, it is considered to be 'open airway'....meaning 'I noticed something, but it wasn't what I deem to be obstructive in nature...just no return on the pulse.' If you hold your breath, the way you are most likely to do that is to close off your airway, which the machine will duly detect and report. If you can figure out how to simply stop breathing, but not clamp somewhere as if you were 'holding' your breath, the machine should call it an open airway after some seconds of no intake or exhalation.
