New CPAP machine doing me wrong?

When I was diagnosed with sleep apnea 8 years ago my sleep pressure number was diagnosed at 19. My machine died and I got a new one. New tech as well. She had me take the machine home for a week and when I brought it back said my new number was "14." So she set it at that and the machine goes higher if need be.

In trying to diagnose what's caused the uptick in afibs in months passed I've started to wonder about that machine. If indeed I'm not getting the 19 pressure, if I'm having 2-3 AHIs/night, isn't that something that could well trigger afibs?

Nancy

Nancy,

I would think the answer would be "yes"- it's certainly worth a discussion with your sleep study doctor and/or your EP.

Let us know how it comes out-

EB

Nancy,
For what it's worth, as an experiment,I stopped using my CPAP about 6 weeks ago and haven't noticed any change in my afib frequency. However, my pressure setting is 12 max and my O2 level is 95% with and about 90% without.

Nancy, When I got a new machine with the adjustable pressures, it did not work for me. A great NP suggested that when I was having an apnea event, the machine could not adjust fast enough up to the pressure required to stop it, and the a fib started. So I went back to a fixed high pressure and it worked fine. The self-adjusting as-needed pressure changes seem like a good idea, but did not work for me.

Phyllis

EB, the doc said she thought that yes, it could be a factor. I've had the machine pushed back up to the 19 I was diagnosed at.
Nancy

Interesting-

Curious to see if that helps your afib burden- thanks-

EB