Daniela Brannon - Sleep Health Writer
Written and Edited by Daniela Brannon. Daniela is a Sleep Health Writer and CPAP Community Liaison with over 60 articles on sleep apnea. Her work combines meticulous research with insights from CPAP communities, covering various aspects of sleep apnea and CPAP therapy. Daniela's clear, accessible writing style makes complex medical concepts understandable to all readers, establishing her as a trusted voice in sleep health education.
Our content undergoes rigorous expert review, evidence-based research, and regular updates for accuracy.
Today’s contemporary CPAP devices are incredibly capable and sophisticated machines that can deliver a wide range of specific CPAP results in the form of data each morning. It is important to monitor and understand the data that your CPAP machine records every night. While devices vary by complexity, function and price, the best CPAP machines include several important statistics about your nightly sleep patterns. Let’s look at the unique metrics you should track while undergoing CPAP therapy.
Your Sleep Duration CPAP Results
The first piece of information that all CPAP devices manage is the duration of CPAP usage over the course of a night, week, month, or year. The readout verifies that you’re using the CPAP as intended. This is why it is important to keep a close eye on your CPAP readings.
AHI Severity Index
The Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) demonstrates the user’s level of Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) by creating a “number of OSA episodes per-hour” figure. In general, 0-5 events per hour is normal, 5-15 is mild OSA, 15-30 indicates moderate OSA, and anything above 30 equates to severe Sleep Apnea. If you see a steady rise in OSA events as indicated by the AHI figure, consult with your sleep specialist right away.
Leak Rate
CPAP devices will leak, but it is intentional. As the user breathes, they exhale carbon dioxide and must be exhausted to prevent a dangerous respiratory situation. Each CPAP therapy mask features a set of specially-designed holes that vent (leak) carbon dioxide as the user exhales. Most machines will show a “normal” leak rate if the amount registers 20-24L/minute or less. Anything above that, and you’re likely dealing with a poor-fitting mask. We wrote a complete guide to CPAP leak rates you can check out to learn more.
Pressure Statistics
Your CPAP results will show the percentage of time the Auto Adjust feature worked to bring your pressure levels up to the maximum setting. If your CPAP adjusts the positive airway up to the maximum level of pressure, more than 10% of your sleeping hours, you might want to increase the ceiling pressure of the device. You can consult with your sleep specialist to re-calibrate the CPAP, if necessary.
Other Indices
Beyond pressure statistics, average hours of use, AHI indices, your CPAP machine can also deliver information such as:
- Number of spontaneous arousals per hour. This means any non-respiratory events detected during the night that may indicate other health issues.
- RDI, or Respiratory Disturbance Index. The RDI includes respiratory issues like snoring, hyperventilation, desaturation, and more.
- PLM figures, or periodic limb movements. Periodic Limb Movements are repetitive limb movements that can disrupt sleep. Your CPAP machine can analyze this movement to identify other concerns, including chronic PLM.
Your CPAP device is designed to keep watch on your sleep throughout the night. This data can help you and your doctor make informed decisions about your respiratory health and treatment regimen. For more information about CPAP devices, including those that offer the latest in diagnostic reporting capability, contact the experts at CPAP.com today!
