CrohnieToo
Joined: 20 Mar 2006
Posts: 3459
Location: Michigan
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That AHI of 38.7 equates to your experiencing 38.7 apneas and/or hypopneas PER HOUR. That means that less than every 2 minutes of sleep you either stop breathing or experience reduced breathing. This causes arousals from restful sleep every 2 minutes or less all night long. In addition the reduced or stopped breathing was reducing the amount of oxygen in your blood and lungs to as low as 77%. If you were hospitalized and your oxygen saturation went under 90% often or for prolonged periods you would be put on supplemental oxygen. To give you an idea I have COPD (chronic obstructive lung disease) as well as OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) and my 02 desaturations never went below 84% during my sleep evaluation. Optimum CPAP therapy stops these events, keeps your airway open and you don't experience those arousals and oxygen desaturations.
Those desaturations from the apneas and hypopneas alert your brain to respond, your heart rate increases, your body may jerk and struggle in response to the reduced oxygen, your various organs aren't getting sufficient oxygan to do their job properly, they have to work harder w/less oxygen and they wear out sooner.
_________________ Some people are like Slinkies... Not really good for anything, but they still bring a smile to your face when you push them down a flight of stairs.
Resmed VPAP Auto. Humidaire 3i, Simplicity & Micro masks, ResScan 3.4, S8 ResLink, Embla oximeter.
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