How To Set My Cpap Machine

Download Article

Download Commodity

Sleep apnea is a sleep disorder characterized by not breathing continuously while sleeping, but rather breathing irregularly in starts and stops. It can upshot in loud snoring, extreme fatigue and daytime somnolence due to sleep deprivation.^[1] I handling is using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) auto. When you use a CPAP machine, a mask is needed while sleeping. The mask is connected to a machine that produces air pressure, which helps go on your airways open up and improves the quality of your sleep. In order to accept this machine available a diagnosis from your physician of obstructive slumber apnea is needed. Also, a sleeps study (polysomnography) is needed to conclude that this is the condition causing secondary symptoms. If you are concerned that the pressure setting isn't correct, consult your doctor again to see how y'all can rectify it.

i
Do an overnight sleep study. When y'all sleep overnight in a specialized slumber laboratory and get diagnosed with sleep apnea, the squad of doctors will determine what the optimum average constant pressure is for you lot on your CPAP machine. The procedure by which they figure out the most appropriate air pressure level is called a titration study.^[2] A titration study is done with a mask and air machine for the purposes of calibrating a CPAP machine to a level that stops your sleep apnea events.
- The events are measured in a point organization called an apnea hypopnea index. An index below v indicates no sleep apnea.
  - Mild OSA: AHI of 5-fifteen. Involuntary sleepiness during activities that require fiddling attention, such as watching TV or reading
  - Moderate OSA: AHI of 15-30. Involuntary sleepiness during activities that require some attention, such as meetings or presentations.
  - Severe OSA: AHI of more than thirty. Involuntary sleepiness during activities that crave more than active attention, such as talking or driving.^[3]
- Slumber clinics typically practise not recommend that new CPAP users modify their pressure settings until they've had their first sleep study and used the prescribed pressure settings for several weeks at minimum.
- While you are in the slumber lab, the dr. or slumber specialist may also:^[four]
  - Measure your activity levels and movement equally you sleep
  - Tape your brain activity, eye movements, blood pressure level, heart rate, and blood oxygen levels
  - Fine-tune the fit of your mask and the air pressure settings
ii
Consult with your doctor. Doctors and manufacturers recommend that the air pressure settings of your CPAP machine be personalized for you by a medical professional based upon a titration study at a sleep clinic — you lot should then use those recommended settings for at least a few weeks to go used to them at night. If you call back those initial settings need to be adapted, you should contact your doc or sleep dispensary to have them checked.^[five] ^[6] Aligning of the air pressure settings may be necessary when:^[7]
- You gain or lose weight
- Y'all are actress tired
- You lot have had a few alcoholic drinks
- Yous are on prescribed sedatives
- You take sinus congestion
- Y'all are using a different mask
- Yous are at a different altitude
- You lot take jet lag
- You modify stages in your sleep wheel
Advertizement
3
Inquire your doctor most an auto-adjusting CPAP. If you're considering changing your CPAP air pressure settings, the safer method is to upgrade from a constant-pressure motorcar to an automobile-CPAP machine.^[8] These fully automatic machines continually measure out the air pressure level needed to go along your airways open and and then self-adapt on a regular basis co-ordinate to your ongoing needs.^[ix]
- An machine-CPAP machine is probable the best long-term option, since your air pressure needs alter day by solar day (and even hour by hour) every bit you lot sleep.
- A sometime titration study within a sleep dispensary cannot account for various personal changes that impact air pressure needs, such as: what slumber phase you're in, sleeping position, what you swallow / drink, your body weight, and various drugs you take.
- Auto-adjusting helps preclude you from swallowing air at times when your standard force per unit area is too high. Swallowing air can make people feel bloated and disrupt their sleep.
Advertisement

one
Read the operating transmission. Before y'all touch and manipulate the settings of your CPAP auto, make sure to read the operating transmission and gain an understanding of your machine blazon and the available options. There are 2 main types of constant-force per unit area CPAP machines (information recording and not-data recording) and the methods used to adapt the pressure settings is dependent upon which type you have.^[10]
- A data recording machine usually stores patient data that is viewable on the machine or from a removable "smart card" or other memory carte on your estimator.
- A information recording car records several variables that help determine optimum air pressure, including your Apnea/Hypopnea Alphabetize or AHI.
- In contrast, a non-data recording car records very trivial or no health information or variables, and then you're kind of adjusting these machines by feel.
- Contact the manufacturer to obtain patient and clinician manuals to get a ameliorate understanding of your machine.
2
Adjust a information recording CPAP automobile. Adjusting this type of Respironics CPAP machine is easier because you have data to guide yous, particularly your AHI. Yous desire to have an AHI of less than 5.0, which means that yous experience less than 5 incidents of apnea or hypopnea per hour (considered normal slumber).^[xi] If your AHI is already less than 5.0 (or even better, less than 3.0), and so you shouldn't suit the air pressure level. If it's greater than five.0, then read the instructions on how to increment the pressure.
- Most CPAP machines have a range of adjustment from 4cmH20 (the everyman pressure) to 20cmH20 (the highest pressure).
- For the Respironics CPAP machine, you lot need to highlight the Setup choice on the brandish screen and and so concord down the ramp and wheel buttons at the aforementioned time for a few seconds until you hear a few beeps.
- After the beeps, access the Setup option and scroll down the carte to select the Motorcar Max and the Auto Min options. These represent the maximum and minimal pressures the motorcar oscillates betwixt during the night.
- Endeavour increasing the Machine Min setting beginning (and then information technology'south closer to the Auto Max setting). Afterward adjusting very slightly, get out it at that for a few weeks to adequately evaluate the improvement, or lack of sleep quality and daytime alacrity.
- Yous may take to increment both the Automobile Max and Machine Min pressure settings, just use your AHI as a guide of how you lot're responding in the night while sleeping.
3
Accommodate a non-data recording CPAP machine. Adjusting a not-information recording Respironics CPAP motorcar is more difficult considering you don't have an objective AHI to guide you to either enhance or lower the air pressure level.^[12] Instead, you must use the very subjective "how-do-I-feel" approach when you lot wake up in the morning. If you don't feel rested upon waking or if your partner informs you of your sleep apnea / snoring / gasping, then you'll likely want to increment the pressure settings.
- To change the settings on a non-information recording Respironics CPAP auto, follow the instructions above on how to alter them on a information recording automobile.
- The primary deviation is that you won't exist able to access the Data option beforehand to see your AHI.
- In the vast majority of cases, people unhappy with the settings on their CPAP machine want to increment the pressure in club to become more air.
- In a minority of cases, people may desire to lower the settings considering the pressure level is too great and creating noisy leaks from their masks, causing bloating or leading to excessive dry mouth.
4
Make your adjustments gradually. Whichever type of CPAP motorcar you accept, the key is making small adjustments so see how your AHI number responds (a more objective measure), or how you feel in the morn later waking up (a completely subjective measure out). Equally such, you should not alter your air pressure more 0.5 cm/H20 at any ane fourth dimension, on either your Auto Max or Auto Min settings.^[13] After the change, give it at least a week or so before y'all appraise the effectiveness of the change.
- Irresolute air pressure also much at a time can subtract the effectiveness of your therapy and potentially lead to dangerous wellness complications.
- Always beginning past raising your Auto Min setting, which is ofttimes set betwixt v-8cm/H20, and then estimate effectiveness before irresolute the Auto Max setting — usually gear up at around 15cm/H2O.
- Even if your have admission to your AHI, keep a written log of how you feel each morning time, afternoon and evening.
- Don't brand dramatic lifestyle / dietary changes that could alter your optimum air force per unit area and misfile y'all while altering settings to your CPAP machine.
5
Alter your mask instead. Sometimes the problem isn't actually with your air pressure — it has more to exercise with the type of mask you're wearing.^[14] The blueprint of some partial and total-face animate mask don't allow the air to catamenia through them (especially through the nose piece) as well as others. In essence, some masks create more than resistance than others do.
- Before changing your pressure settings on your Respironics CPAP machine, ask your physician or sleep clinician to try a different type of mask.
- Switching to a more comfortable mask may necessitate raising or lowering your pressure settings depending on it's design.
- For many people, having an Automobile Min setting greater than 10cm/H20 starts to cause uncomfortable side effects such every bit bloating, belching and dry out oral fissure.
half-dozen
Investigate the legality of changing the settings. It appears that changing your CPAP settings requires a prescription from your md considering the machines are classified every bit Class Ii Medical Devices. As such, changing the settings requires a physician'southward oversight either straight (in person) or indirectly (faxed prescription). This gives you 2 options: going to your physician'southward role with your motorcar, or calling the physician and getting them to fax the prescription (changed settings) to the medical equipment visitor.
- If it's a hassle or as well great of an expense to see your doc, call and talk to their secretary or nurse and explain that you want to change the settings and need a faxed prescription.
- Alternatively, call the medical equipment company and ask them to contact the md's office on your behalf.
- Without proper medical training and licensing, changing the settings on a CPAP device tin go y'all into legal trouble, and so make sure you know the constabulary in your area.
Advertizing

Inquire a Question

200 characters left

Include your email accost to get a message when this question is answered.

Submit

The symptoms of slumber apnea include: loud snoring, gasping for breath, sharp awakenings, dry mouth, sore throat, headaches, insomnia, daytime sleepiness, irritability, difficulty concentrating.^[15]
An AHI less than five per hour = No Sleep Apnea.
An AHI from 5 to less than 15 per 60 minutes = Mild Sleep Apnea
An AHI from 15 to less than 30 per hour = Moderate Sleep Apnea
An AHI of 30 or greater per hour = Severe Slumber Apnea

Near This Article

Thanks to all authors for creating a folio that has been read 447,960 times.

Did this commodity aid you?