RDI/AHI sleep apnea Qs please help - Sleep Disorders Message Board

meredith100 · 12-06-2006, 08:36 PM

Hi,

My sleep study says I have an RDI of 44 (hypopneas)--a large number of events per hour, it seems:
HOWEVER it also says "AHI Medicare Index of .1" which seems not only NOT abnormal but strikingly normal--ive looked it up and AHI is considered normal if less than 5, so .1 looks pretty amazing!
This is a big disparity between the RDI which looks quite abnormal...I suppose it's because the hypopneas weren't associated with a big drop in 02 or something? my 02 never dropped below 95%. but im still wondering if the rdi of 44 is significant
This is confusing, medically speaking, do I have sleep apnea or not?
ALSO--does anyone know how a dental device works and if there are any side effects

mkgbrook · 12-07-2006, 01:32 PM

Hy husband had a lot of hypopneas and was considered to have mild sleep apnea.. not true sleep apnea, but sleep apnea due to the fact his sleep process was continually interrupted. I had severe full blown sleep apnea with episodes well multiple a minute.. over 100 an hour.. and my AHI exceed 5 easily. So you may have mild sleep apnea, but not life threatening sleep apnea.

Sorry I couldn't help more.
MG

littleln11 · 12-07-2006, 08:22 PM

Hypopnea is just shallow breathing. A full blown apnea is when you flat out stop breathing. with what you have said and with your O2 only going down to 95% your sleep apnea would probably be considerred very mild and almost normal.

However, usually your physician will sit down with you afterwards to discuss teh results. Did your physician not go over it with you?

Countrygirl1 · 12-09-2006, 04:15 PM

I had 30 apnea events per hours. As a result, I was diagnosed with mild sleep apnea. Basically, I started the night with 10 events per hour which then built up to the 30 events.