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Acceptable nightly AHI number - Printable Version

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Acceptable nightly AHI number - KCap - 12-01-2016

I've been having a consistent 4.5 to 5 AHI nightly after using my cpap for a week (pressure of 8). Everything is good, but I still feel like my number could be better. My first follow-up appointment is in two weeks, so I called my doctor today and asked if he couldn't put my pressure at a 9 for a few weeks, until the appointment, to see if the number would come down a bit. He said, "oh, no, 4.5 is a perfectly acceptable number on the charts, and we are pleased with that." But, from what I'm reading on the forum, I thought 1-3 would be more optimal?


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - Beej - 12-01-2016

Have you downloaded the manual from the link at the top of the page? It can tell you how the settings are adjusted. Small changes, held for a good 4 days at a time, may work best to evaluate the impact.

Use Sleepyhead or other software for your machine to download your data and then link screenshots posted on Imgur or Google Docs for us to review and give you feedback.


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - chill - 12-01-2016

Welcome! It is not about the numbers. It is about how you feel. The AHI is just a very crude yardstick. If you feel good, rested and refreshed in the morning there is no need to go chasing after someone else's number. On the other hand, if you don't feel great, then download SleepyHead and see if you can see what is going on. A higher pressure may make you feel better and reduce your AHI, or it may have the opposite effect.


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - justMongo - 12-01-2016

The OP's DreamStation may be one of the fixed CPAP bricks.


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - KCap - 12-03-2016

Well, I downloaded SleepyHead - Can anyone interpret my results for my first 10 days of CPAP? Well, not interpet so much, rather tell me if I'm doing ok as is! I have a feeling my doctor will NOT read into all this with the detail that all of you do! Thanks so much - really appreciate it!

CPAP Statistics
10 days of CPAP Data, between Wed Nov 23 2016 and Fri Dec 2 2016
Details Most Recent Last Week Last 30 Days Last 6 Months Last Year
CPAP Usage
Average Hours per Night 08:02 07:10 07:46 07:46 07:46
Compliance 100% 100% 100% 100% 100%
Therapy Efficacy
AHI 1.74 3.41 3.93 3.93 3.93
Obstructive Index 0.25 0.26 0.44 0.44 0.44
Hypopnea Index 1.49 3.07 3.25 3.25 3.25
Clear Airway Index 0.00 0.08 0.24 0.24 0.24
Flow Limitation Index 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
RERA Index 1.24 2.41 2.28 2.28 2.28
Leak Statistics
Average Leak Rate 0.60 1.39 1.61 1.61 1.61
90% Leak Rate 1.00 3.00 4.00 4.00 4.00
% of time above Leak Rate threshold 0.41% 0.53% 0.64% 0.64% 0.64%
Pressure Statistics
Average Pressure 7.83 7.81 7.83 7.83 7.83
Min Pressure 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00 4.00
Max Pressure 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00
90% Pressure 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00 8.00
Average EPAP 7.91 7.90 7.91 7.91 7.91
Min EPAP 4.10 4.10 4.10 4.10 4.10
Max EPAP 8.00 8.10 8.20 8.20 8.20

Changes to Prescription Settings
First Last Days AHI FL Machine Pressure Relief Mode Pressure Settings
Wed Nov 23 2016 Fri Dec 2 2016 10 3.93 0.00 Auto CPAP (500X110) None CPAP Fixed 8 (cmH2O)

Machine Information
Brand Series Model Serial First Use Last Use
Philips Respironics DreamStation Auto CPAP (500X110) J17822048C4C4 11/23/2016 12/2/2016
This report was generated by SleepyHead (1.0.0-beta-2), and has not been approved in any way for compliance or medical diagnostic purposes.



RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - Sleeprider - 12-03-2016

Your results are pretty straight-forward. Your AHI is considered well treated, and your most recent results are trending lower. You are having essentially no obstructive or clear airway apnea, but nearly all the AHI consists of hypopnea (flow reductions). This is likely a bit of upper airway restriction which is also resulting in recorded flow limitations and RERA.

This is fairly typical for a new user, adapting to CPAP therapy and doing well. Your leak rate is very good and that is probably adding to some comfort. Nothing in your early results requires you to make any changes at all. Eventually you should turn off ramp or increase the starting pressure to 6.0. Sooner if you feel a bit air-starved when first starting out. If hypopnea continues to average over 3 after a couple weeks, consider switching to Auto mode with minimum pressure at 8 and maximum pressure 11 and see if that is better. I would not do that yet as results are likely to continue improving.

What Flex settings are you using?


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - harmon k - 12-03-2016

Hi. Was all that info shown by Kcap what I would see if I download Sleepyhead. Is there anything else that Sleepyhead would show me other than what Kcap showed, or is that the entirety? Thank you very much.


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - KCap - 12-03-2016

Thanks Sleeprider! You've helped a lot. I don't know what Flex settings are, sorry! And I don't think I can change my pressure without the doctor. I'm going in two weeks, so I'lll bring up the hypopneas and see if he'll be able to give me a pressure range. (I currently only have one set pressure of 8.) I can only initially ramp from 4 to 8 in the first 20 minutes.

Harmon K, so much more shows in the form of graphs, charts, etc. I didn't know how to copy those, so I just copied the main stats page. This app shows a whole lot more than Dreammapper, which I have on my iphone.


RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - OpalRose - 12-03-2016

KCap and harmon k,

Here are a couple links that will explain how to take a screenshot of your data on #SleepyHead and organize the graphs according to what is most helpful for us to see. Then use an outside source like imgur to post data.

http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=SleepyHead_Chart_Organization
http://www.apneaboard.com/wiki/index.php?title=Attaching_Images_and_Files_on_Apnea_Board

Hope that helps.




RE: Acceptable nightly AHI number - macheta - 12-03-2016

Your ninety percentile is showing 7-8 which is around your max. Around 1-2 AM I start peaking on the max but only a few periods per night. My min is 4 and max is 10. The 95th is around 5-6. I feel great with this setting. As some other posters hinted the max appears to be low.