The importance of sleep-disordered breathing in cardiovascular disease

Obstructive sleep apnoea and central sleep apnoea/Cheyne-Stokes respiration are collectively referred to as sleep-disordered breathing (SDB). Rapidly accumulating evidence suggests that both forms of SDB, and often a combination of both, are highly prevalent in patients with a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases, including hypertension, heart failure, arrhythmias, coronary artery disease, acute coronary syndrome and stroke. The presence of SDB in these patients is independently associated with worse cardiac function and exercise tolerance, recurrent arrhythmias, infarct expansion, decreased quality of life and increased mortality. Recent data suggest positive effects of positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy on quality of life and cardiovascular function. In addition, ongoing clinical trials may soon provide first definitive data on PAP therapy of SDB on hard outcomes such as mortality. This review presents current data highlighting links between SDB and a variety of cardiovascular conditions, the importance of recognising and diagnosing SDB in patients with cardiovascular disease, and the effects of effective SDB treatment on cardiovascular endpoints.