Sleep-disordered breathing and heart failure: focus on obstructive sleep apnea and treatment with continuous positive airway pressure.

Publication/Presentation Date

2-1-2010

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Among patients with heart failure, sleep-disordered breathing is a common problem, with a prevalence ranging from 24% to 76%. Encompassed within the general category of sleep-disordered breathing are 2 types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the oropharyngeal musculature relaxes, causing a collapse of the upper airway, and central sleep apnea occurs when the brain stem fails to stimulate breathing.

METHODS AND RESULTS: This article focuses on the relationship between heart failure and OSA, the treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and the role of CPAP in improving such effects of heart failure as ejection fraction, blood pressure, sympathetic activity, sleepiness, heart rate, and mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: It is important to distinguish the type of sleep-disordered breathing a patient may have. Further studies are needed to elucidate the effects of CPAP and other therapies.

Volume

16

Issue

2

First Page

164

Last Page

174

ISSN

1532-8414

Disciplines

Business Administration, Management, and Operations | Health and Medical Administration | Management Sciences and Quantitative Methods

PubMedID

20142029

Department(s)

Administration and Leadership

Document Type

Article

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