Sleep Apnea and EKG

I recently had my sleep apnea test and the office told me i had a severe problem. I am going back this Saturday to do another sleep test using a C-PAP machine. They said I was having 108 incidents per hour and my oxygen level was going down to 82% before I woke up. Can someone explain in plain English wha that means. Seperatly from this, the cardiologist exam in preperation for my WLS is concerned about a portential blockage and he has me doing a stress test this Friday. He siad the EKG he had from three years ago showed a problem becasue of the type of wave I had but trhere was a small chance the wave could be normal or could be ignored (not sure which). Should the EKG from the sleep test show anything if there is a problem? Thanks in advance.

I don't know anything about EKG's but here's what's goin on with the sleep apnea... When they say you had 108 incidents per hour, they are saying that you stopped breathing 108 times per hour. When you stop breathing your body tends to wake itself up enough for you to start breathing again, then you fall back asleep and it starts all over again with you not breathing, waking up, etc. The oxygen level has to do with how long you stop breathing before you wake up, I'm pretty sure that since they measure it in percentages, you should normally be at 100%. Although 82% doesn't sound too bad when you think about it in terms of school grades or something but we're talking about how much oxygen your brain is getting, and it needs to be at 100%. If there is anything you don't understand be sure to question the lab techs when you go back for the next sleep test. Lia

Thanks. Your post really helped me understand what was happening.

Kind of late on this post but hopefully this will help you. The above post is correct on incidents per hour, meaning you stopped breathing or went apneic 108 times per hour. your oxygen level is measured in % but normal % for oxygen is usually 95 to 100. With no incident's (stop breathing) a person who's blood oxygen level goes below 88% qualifies for nighttime oxygen use. With incidents depending on how many and how low your oxygen goes, you will get either cpap or bipap which is just a constant air pressure to keep the soft tissues from closing off your airways and causing periods of apnea. Now as far as the ekg is concerned, the ekg during your sleep study is only a 3 lead rythm which shows the basic rythm of your hear, thought the blockages may show on this they may not. A stress test is generally done with a 12 lead (8 wires hooked to you) shows a more complex electrical picture of the heart. As far as it being normal or ignored is up to your doc. I am a respiratory therapist so if you have anymore questions, just let me know, if I don't know the answer i'm sure i know somebody who will. Eric

Thanks for the info. It realy helped. I have been on the CPAP for 1 week and I am amazed at what it si doin. I had to go in the hospital for a different problem Friday and spent the night for observation. I had my machine with me. My Oxygen level never went below 94%. What really amazed me was my heart rate had gone down noticeably. They had told me that might happen at the sleep center but I was still amazed! I am feeling much better during the day!

Hi, I was diagnosed with severe sleep apnea a year ago. I had stoppage of 70 times an hour, and my oxygen level dropped to 60%. I,too, am amazed at how much better life is since my machine. I find I cannot sleep without it. Congrats on embracing the treatment. As I talk to folks, about 90% of them who have sa themselves or their spouses, DO NOT use their machines! Ned

Hi Ned, THe Sleep Disorders place I went to told me similiar statistics. I am surprised too. I have been on it just slightly over a week now and it has gotten in the way of spontaneous discussions wiht my wife in the middle of the night and perhaps some spontaneous physical interludes but I feel so much better it is worht it! The Sleep Disorder place I go to actually has several months of follow up calls to check on you and at least askes you if you are using hte machine. Also the machine they give me records how many nights and hours the machine has been used. They never said this but they implied this was due to insurance. After all, insurance doesn't want to pay for it if the person isn't going to use anyway. Also, now that I am using it and talking about it I am surprised how many people I know are using it at home! Almost a best kept secret! I am glad it is working for you too! Take care, Ralph

All the machines have a card that records the usage, I think. When you have your machine adjusted, you just take your card in; you don't have to take in the machine. I do not have to go bac****il I lose some weight- 60 lb or so. Good luck, Ned

82% sucks, Whats is happening is that your heart is racing to to pump blood to get more oxgen to your brain to make up for the lake of concentrated o2 as the level of o2 drops, 98% is normal, you exhale 92% , a opd will average 92% and require fulll time oxgen therapy , 82% requires resucitation. and is close to CPR