Patent ID: 6739335
Filing Date: 2004-05-25
Classification: A61M

Abstract:
In a method for optimizing the amount of positive airway pressure to be applied to a patient receiving continuous positive airway pressure, comprising monitoring to determine whether or not breathing is labored due to an obstruction, and modulating the positive airway pressure based on whether or not an obstruction has been detected;the improvement comprising resolving any ambiguities observed in the monitored breathing by detecting the presence or absence of cardiogenic oscillations between expiratory periods and between breaths in the airflow of the patient and classifying the ambiguous breath as being labored due to an obstruction if cardiogenic oscillations are absent and classifying the ambiguous breath as not being labored due to an obstruction if cardiogenic oscillations are present, and, if cardiogenic oscillations are present, indicating the absence of an obstruction, changing the airflow to the patient to optimize the airflow to the patient, and, if cardiogenic oscillations are not present, indicating the presence of an obstruction, and adjusting the airflow to the patient to overcome the obstruction.