AHIs under 5...arbitrary?

[Guest]

the general consensus seems to be a goal of under 5 AHIs averaged per hour
but let me throw in a couple more questions

What if, during those less than 5 AHIs, you stop breathing for 15 seconds?
What if you stop breathing for a minute?
What if your oxygen desaturation goes to 82%?
What if your oxygen desaturation goes to 68%?

what if you have 20 AHIs average per hour, but you only stop breathing for 12 seconds and your oxygen desaturation is only 87%?

seems to me that the AHI numbers are pretty arbitrary, at best...perhaps the severity depends on how long you're not breathing and what your oxygen levels are?

just a few thoughts

I'm a newbie here...so Im just thinking out loud

thanks

evan

[KC5cychris]

WOW Evan

you have been thinking

You are in the right place keep digging around here and educating yourself as much as you can.

I think you fond that once you have adjust to your treatment and all that goes with it. the tweaking of your unit, mask ECT.. and you AHI has been widdled down to the 5 AHI or less level. you probably will not be experiencing events that are that excessive. In order for your AHI to be under 5 the duration and total number of events will be less. Along that sam line as the AHI and your body adjust you should not be experiencing desats that low in the event that you are still desating to 82% or less you need to consult your DR. who may consider O2 supplemental to your CPAP therapy

Good luck
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Sleep Well
Chris

[billbolton]

what if you have 20 AHIs average per hour, but you only stop breathing for 12 seconds and your oxygen desaturation is only 87%?

Quite simply... you can't have that combination of numbers.

You might want to do some research on how events are scored..... there's a huge amount of information on here about that.

Cheers,

Bill

[rested gal]

The 2002 article at the link below doesn't exactly answer your questions, Evan, but is interesting reading.

http://www.pulmonaryreviews.com/sep02/p ... Index.html
"The Apnea-Hypopnea Index: Useful or Useless?"

I agree with Dr. Sullivan.

[nmevan]

interesting article...thanks

oddly, it does not mention oxygen desaturation

evan