Cardiovascular consequences of obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with several cardiovascular disease conditions, such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, stroke, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiac arrhythmias. A causal relationship between sleep apnea and each of these diseases is likely but remains to be proven. The clearest evidence implicating OSA in the development of new cardiovascular disease includes data showing an increased prevalence of new hypertension in patients with baseline OSA. The diagnosis of OSA should be considered in patients with refractory heart failure, resistant hypertension, nocturnal cardiac ischemia, and nocturnal arrhythmias, especially in individuals with risk factors for sleep apnea (such as central obesity, age, and male gender). Treating sleep apnea may help to achieve better clinical control in these diseases and may improve long-term cardiovascular prognosis.