What is titration, as it relates to sleep studies?
If a sleep study determines you have Obstructive Sleep Apnea, you will need a “titration study.” A titration study can take place on the same night as your diagnosing sleep study or scheduled for a later date. Titration is a scientific lab term, meaning to slowly add a little bit more of something until you reach a desired effect. During your study a skilled technician will monitor your sleep and slowly increase the air pressure on a CPAP machine until you are able to sleep without or with few sleep events (apneas and hypopneas). Your pressure needs vary throughout the night, so an overnight sleep study is required to prescribe you the correct pressure. Your prescribed CPAP pressure setting will be what your sleep technician determines as the highest you will need during the night. By prescribing the highest pressure, your doctor hopes to prevent as many sleep events as possible. The downside of this approach is that you will have the highest pressure at all times even when it’s only n
