Patent ID: 8297281

Claim:
A method for treating a patient for sleep disordered breathing using a ventilator system which includes a controller for controlling delivered pressure and a ventilator having a blower, comprising the steps of: applying a first constant treatment pressure to a patient during a first ventilation session; detecting and recording apnea and hypopnea events based on a flow signal derived from at least one of the speed of the blower or the current to the blower during said first ventilation session; calculating a breathing index dependent upon the recorded apnea and hypopnea events; determining a second ventilator pressure to be applied in a second ventilation session for said patient, said second ventilation pressure dependent upon a comparison of the breathing index to a threshold; and delivering a second constant pressure treatment to the patient during the second ventilation session, wherein the first ventilation session and the second ventilation session occur on different nights.