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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 16, 2009 at 12:27am

That sounds like a good AHI to me. Anything under 5 is considered healthy. The goal of Cpap treatment is to get the AHI as close to 0 as possible, and to get you breathing in a normal or consistant manner. Rythmically if you will. This will differ from pt to pt and machine to machine.

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 16, 2009 at 12:56am

Tess, many of us would give anything to have an AHI that low. how did you do it?

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Permalink Reply by Tess Parriott on April 16, 2009 at 9:21am

Mike said:

Tess, many of us would give anything to have an AHI that low. how did you do it?

Have been on my Respironics REMstar Auto M series with A-Flex CPAP of 8 since the end of January. I wear it every single time I lay down to bed or to nap. I nap frequently because I a night shift nurse. The one nap I forgot to put on my gear, I woke in a panic dream with a terrible headache that lasted all day. My sleep doctor had ordered my CPAP to be at 7 but the DME set it at 8. Although my doc and I agreed it was an error at my follow up, I opted to keep it as it wasn't causing me major problems and I definitely feel better, not 100%, but better. From reading some other posts, I think my OSA was not terribly bad with 17 apneic events in my study.

Thanks for the information.

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Permalink Reply by Judy on April 16, 2009 at 9:45am

Well, an AHI of 15 to 30 is considered moderate OSA so you were out of the mild range during your testing. Not by much maybe, but still in the moderate rather than mild range. The RDI has a larger range than the AHI and I don't remember the numbers for that but if you had had an RDI of 17 that would be considered mild as I vaguely remember it. RDI wasn't mentioned in any of my evaluation or titration reports.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 16, 2009 at 12:40pm

RDI uses the alternative rule of scoring. 3% desats are counted as an alternative hypopnea. Where as the AASM guidelines for hypopnea are 4% desats. I was originally told that the alternative rules were for medicaid/medicare but have since recieved contradicting info on the subject. I believe it to be the choice of the lab. Most hospital labs follow the AASM rules.

Judy said:

Well, an AHI of 15 to 30 is considered moderate OSA so you were out of the mild range during your testing. Not by much maybe, but still in the moderate rather than mild range. The RDI has a larger range than the AHI and I don't remember the numbers for that but if you had had an RDI of 17 that would be considered mild as I vaguely remember it. RDI wasn't mentioned in any of my evaluation or titration reports.

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 16, 2009 at 12:44pm

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 17, 2009 at 6:49pm

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 19, 2009 at 8:20am

Not sure. I need to get a copy of that book.

Mike said:

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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Permalink Reply by Mike on April 20, 2009 at 1:13am

i've enjoyed the book so far, and am sure you'd find it an interesting read.

Rock Hinkle said:

Not sure. I need to get a copy of that book.

Mike said:

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 20, 2009 at 1:21am

I Have some extra time this week. I think I might pick it up as I am currently bookless. Please let me know if there are any other good books on this subject out there. I tend to get stuck in text books and studies written for the techs, sometimes forgetting that there are just as many great books written for the pts.

Mike said:

i've enjoyed the book so far, and am sure you'd find it an interesting read.

Rock Hinkle said:

Not sure. I need to get a copy of that book.

Mike said:

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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Permalink Reply by PD Laire on April 20, 2009 at 1:34am

William Dement's "Promise of Sleep" is a classic. Written very much for the layperson, though. Landmark book on sleep.

Rock Hinkle said:

I Have some extra time this week. I think I might pick it up as I am currently bookless. Please let me know if there are any other good books on this subject out there. I tend to get stuck in text books and studies written for the techs, sometimes forgetting that there are just as many great books written for the pts.

Mike said:

i've enjoyed the book so far, and am sure you'd find it an interesting read.

Rock Hinkle said:

Not sure. I need to get a copy of that book.

Mike said:

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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Permalink Reply by RockRpsgt on April 20, 2009 at 1:57am

Nothing wromg with a book written for a "layperson". Pd did you know that I was born a layperson? my parents and most of my family are laypeople. lol I will definately check it out! Thanks.

PD Laire said:

William Dement's "Promise of Sleep" is a classic. Written very much for the layperson, though. Landmark book on sleep.

Rock Hinkle said:

I Have some extra time this week. I think I might pick it up as I am currently bookless. Please let me know if there are any other good books on this subject out there. I tend to get stuck in text books and studies written for the techs, sometimes forgetting that there are just as many great books written for the pts.

Mike said:

i've enjoyed the book so far, and am sure you'd find it an interesting read.

Rock Hinkle said:

Not sure. I need to get a copy of that book.

Mike said:

I read in Dr. Park's book Sleep Interrupted that the standard for kids is actually 0, whereas adults can go up to 5 without getting a formal diagnosis of OSA. wonder why that is?

DDNight said:

Rock Hinkle said:

I think that 0 is a great goal. Just remember that sometimes due to the amount of pressure needed to achieve it you might actually be made uncomfortable. I tis possible to have the pressure cause you to arouse, or even to cause centrals. Not that you should not go for this goal. I just wanted you to know that sometimes due to comfort and co2 levels it is not possible.

DDNight said:

And I was worried about an AHI of ~1? Wow....good to hear I'm doing okay with therapy. I want to get closer to 0 though....(personal goal of mine).

Good to know...thanks Rock! I'm happy where I'm at as long as I hover around one, but would like to get lower. If I start having issues, I know where I belong. LOL

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