Hello Guest, Welcome to Apnea Board !
As a guest, you are limited to certain areas of the board and there are some features you can't use.
To post a message, you must create a free account using a valid email address.

or Create an Account


New Posts   Today's Posts

Central vs Clear Airway
#1
Question 
Central vs Clear Airway
Is there a difference between a "central" versus a "clear airway"?  Or are they both the same thing?

I read on here that centrals can mean things... and I see CAs on my Sleepyhead data... so I'm wondering if that means I'm having centrals.

I have a feeling I'll be directed to read a wiki again. I've read the darn thing at least thrice!  But I'm learning something new every day!
Post Reply Post Reply
#2
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
(03-14-2017, 07:35 PM)Hydrangea Wrote: Is there a difference between a "central" versus a "clear airway"?  Or are they both the same thing?

I read on here that centrals can mean things... and I see CAs on my Sleepyhead data... so I'm wondering if that means I'm having centrals.

I have a feeling I'll be directed to read a wiki again. I've read the darn thing at least thrice!  But I'm learning something new every day!

Clear Airway events are essentially the same as Central Apneas. Your ResMed machine checks your airway with a low frequency pulse that can verify that your airway is open even though you are not breathing. Use Sleepyhead software and post some data if you would like comments on these events.

Rich
Apnea Board Member RobySue has posted a Beginners Guide to Sleepyhead Software here:  http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php...SleepyHead

Download Sleepyhead
Organize your Sleepyhead Charts
Post images


Post Reply Post Reply
#3
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
For the purpose of discussion a clear airway and a central event may be considered synonymous. If we nit-pick the definitions there may be a subtle difference.
Admin Note:
JustMongo passed away in August 2017
Click HERE to read his Memorial Thread

~ Rest in Peace ~
Post Reply Post Reply
#4
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
And having a few now and then is not a cause of concern.
Post Reply Post Reply
#5
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
A clear airway is a cessation of breathing for at least 10 seconds while the airway is open, and it's main difference from a "central" is that we are not specifying the cause. We record CA all the time in disrupted sleep, turning in bed, holding your breath etc. There are a lot of reasons we miss a breath and record a CA that has nothing to do with central apnea. To the machine it all looks the same. When we see scattered CA events in a chart spread through the night, or near times of likely arousal, it is usually more correct to think of them as clear airway. When we see clusters of CA and hypopnea that appear more repetitive and frequent, then we are more likely to use the term central apnea.

We only have information the machines record, and can't really diagnose central apnea, so clear airway is probably more accurate. Clear airway is a non-diagnostic term, while central apnea refers to a specific type of apnea caused by a variety of neurological, pharmaceutical, or respiratory drive problems.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply
#6
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
Aaaaaah, ok. That all makes a lot of sense to me. Thanks for all the input.

Just recently I saw 9 CAs in an 8 hour sleep (spread throughout), and wondered about it.

So I guess I should look at several nights' worth of data to see how things look. I do have more hypopneas than I'd like. So I'll look at how they cluster or not. Thanks for that tip.
Post Reply Post Reply
#7
RE: Central vs Clear Airway
This will drive you crazy, hypopnea can be treated with pressure support, but too much pressure support can cause central apneas, and hypopnea can be either obstructive or central, but you won't know which.
Sleeprider
Apnea Board Moderator
www.ApneaBoard.com

____________________________________________
Download OSCAR Software
Soft Cervical Collar
Optimizing Therapy
Organize your OSCAR Charts
Attaching Files
Mask Primer
How To Deal With Equipment Supplier


INFORMATION ON APNEA BOARD FORUMS OR ON APNEABOARD.COM SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED AS MEDICAL ADVICE. ALWAYS SEEK THE ADVICE OF A PHYSICIAN BEFORE SEEKING TREATMENT FOR MEDICAL CONDITIONS, INCLUDING SLEEP APNEA. INFORMATION POSTED ON THE APNEA BOARD WEB SITE AND FORUMS ARE PERSONAL OPINION ONLY AND NOT NECESSARILY A STATEMENT OF FACT.
Post Reply Post Reply


Possibly Related Threads...
Thread Author Replies Views Last Post
  Central while on ASV Boodmaster 11 2,513 03-26-2024, 02:37 AM
Last Post: Boodmaster
  [Treatment] Clear airway / central apnea events -- causes and solutions? mitzvahtime 6 2,397 03-25-2024, 04:10 PM
Last Post: Jay51
  please help me make sense of my central apneas p4ncaketim 23 538 03-24-2024, 06:21 PM
Last Post: Sleeprider
  Fixing (CPAP-induced?) central apneas Franko39 17 855 03-21-2024, 11:26 PM
Last Post: Franko39
  Central Sleeping Apnea treatment ivan007 5 211 03-21-2024, 12:52 PM
Last Post: PeaceLoveAndPizza
  Central events while falling asleep michaelyu15 7 265 03-20-2024, 06:22 PM
Last Post: michaelyu15
  First Day with S9 AutoSet - Many Clear Airway in the morning liuzilong 6 121 03-18-2024, 09:25 PM
Last Post: liuzilong


New Posts   Today's Posts


About Apnea Board

Apnea Board is an educational web site designed to empower Sleep Apnea patients.