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Re: Auto Adjust LT ??

Posted by Perry on August 31, 2002 at 06:43:46:

In Reply to: Auto Adjust LT ?? posted by Rested on August 30, 2002 at 17:14:49:

Rested:

The origninal Mfr's "touted" the concept that all you had to do was set an AutoCPAP "Wide open" (4 to 20)and it would do the rest. Some of the Mfrs still say the same thing, but others have changed their toon and recommend a narrower range.

There are two reasons for this. Machine reaction time vs how fast events can get worse is the first one, which affects the minimum setting. Immagine yourself driving down this wonderful and senic narrow country road ("good sleep), when all the sudden you see a monster semi truck bearing down on you from behind at a high rate of speed. If you are going too slow it dosn't matter if you push the gas pedel to the floor - you will still get smacked (woken up - mental arrousal) before your vehicle can get up to speed. On the other hand - if you are going fast enough it will be easy to accelerate away from the truck. The same thing happens with the autoCPAPs.

This is why a person's minimum setting needs to be somewhat below their normal peak (typically 4, but 3 to 6 depending on the person and their match to the machine).

The second reason for setting a range affects the maximum. These are not perfect machines and they do not actually detect real flow limitations, hypopneas, apneas, and other things. They detect "artifact events" that flow limitations, hypopneas, apneas, and other things produce.

However, there are other things out there that produce the same kinds of "artifact events". While false snoring and apnea events are rare. Rolling over, being jabbed by the spouse, congested lung illnesses (bad cold), asthma, COPD, and other things are wonderfull foolers of various AutoCPAP triggers. Having your maximum set at (or if your Dr approves just above) your titration pressure prevents the machine from running away and blowing the mask off your face, causing aerophagia (if you don't have the problem now), etc. It also serves as a monitor for OSA Getting worse as you will see that you are being clipped at the maximum with some frequency - assuming you monitor your data).

In your specific case it sounds like you are doing well. Your mimumum is set at 7, and most nights you do not seem to go above 11, a few nights you go higher than that (which is typical). While you have minumized Apneas, the real question is how well do you feel (and would you feel better if your minumum was at 8 or another pressure).

Best of luck with your treatment. Let us know how things are going. We care (even if I don't spend as much time as I would like here).

Perry

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