Sleep Med Psychophysiol.
1997 Dec;4(2):129-139.
Influence of Sleep-Related Breathing Disorders in Changes of Cardiovascular Function
- Affiliations
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- 1Department of internal Medicine, Medical College, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Abstract
- The data collected to date indicate that sleep-related breathing disorders, including sleep-disordered breathing(sleep apnea) and underlying repiratory system diseases, are one of the important risk factors for cardiovascular dysfunction. Sleep-disordered breathing(sleep apnea) is now recognized as one of the leading causes of systemic hypertension, cardiac arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, pulomnary hypertension, right heart failure, and stroke. Sleep may exert a profound effect on breathing in patients with underlying respiratory system disease including bronchopumonary diseases, chest wall abnormalities, central alveolar hypoventilation syndromes respiratory neuromuscular disorders. Chronic hypoxia and hypercapnia in these patients may accelerate the development of long term cardiovascular complications such as cardiac arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, and right heart failure(cor pulmonale). Several recent studies reported that sleep-related breathing disorders are associated with long-term cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Careful assessment of respiratory and cardiovascular function in these patients is critical Aggressive and highly effective treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders using tracheostomy, mechanical ventilation, nasal continuous positive airway pressure therapy(CPAP), intercurrent oxygen therapy or other interventions can reduce the prevalence of cardiovascular dysfunction and the long-term mortality.
