What is a Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) Titration Sleep Study?

A CPAP titration study is a specific sleep study to measure and adjust CPAP therapy. Sleep medicine professionals usually perform this study after you have a baseline overnight sleep study/polysomnography (PSG). The reason behind the CPAP titration study is so the sleep medicine specialist can:

1. Determine how to treat your sleep apnea optimally through the use of a CPAP machine.

2. To document the elimination of apnea episodes and reduction to almost normal of Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI).

3. To choose the optimum pressure settings on your CPAP device for maximum comfort.

Who should undergo a CPAP titration Study?

Once you’re diagnosed with Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA), your doctor may ask for a CPAP titration especially if you have severe OSA. It may or may not be done, depending on your Doctor; and you can consult our Sleep Medicine expert on www.booksleepstudy.com for any further guidance or clarification if required.

What happens in a CPAP Titration study?

The sleep technician comes to your house on the night of your study and delivers the CPAP machine with the right mask size and variety to suit your requirement.

Once you go to sleep, you can connect the mask and probe as advised and the machine will automatically deliver a pressure with a Ramp feature.

Be assured that the pressure starts out very low and is increases gradually so as not to cause discomfort or anxiety. The pressure will increase and decrease automatically by the machine, till it reaches a pressure optimum for you to eliminate snoring/apnea and sleep peacefully.

The report generated can becompared to your earlier values on your sleep study without the use of your machine and will also help your doctor to prescribe the right pressure for you for future therapy.

If you do not do a CPAP Titration study at the start of your therapy, when else can you do it?

Once a patient has been diagnosed and begins CPAP therapy, follow up and aftercare should include titrations once a year. It is common for patients to need pressure changes during their years of CPAP therapy.

Each treating physician may have his own protocol and require a titration usually every year or two. Annual or frequent titrations most often occur when the patient has co morbidities such as hypertension or has previously suffered a heart attack or stroke and when closer monitoring is needed.

How will you know when it’s time for another titration?

Successful CPAP therapy keeps the airway open and should cause you to awaken feeling refreshed. It should eliminate all snoring, gasping or choking sounds and sensations. When OSA symptoms reappear, this would indicate that you probably need a pressure change. Old symptoms vary from patient to patient and you will remember what yours were, but they might include:

Snoring – CPAP treatment should totally eliminate snoring when sleeping wearing the mask and using the machine.

The return of frequent nighttime awakenings; gasping or choking on CPAP might indicate insufficient CPAP pressure.

The return of fatigue and excessive daytime sleepiness which might indicates sleep deprivation.

The return of headaches and especially morning headaches – this might indicate insufficient CPAP pressure and low oxygen levels.

The return of a decreased ability to focus and concentrate or memory loss, or return of moodiness or depression which might indicate sleep deprivation.

Just as you would want to keep track of your heart health, you need to monitor your apnea condition. Think of your initial overnight sleep study and titration as your baseline. Get organized and keep a copy of your sleep study report and all subsequent titrations as a method to track your treatment and progress over your lifetime of CPAP therapy.

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