Insights in Blood Pressure

Children's Cardiovascular Illnesses and Obstructive Sleep Apnea

New research is highlighting the complex interrelationships between sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease, presenting therapeutic and scientific potential as well as challenges. Patients who enter cardiology clinics frequently have obstructive and central sleep apnea, as well as CheyneStokes respiration. Sleep disturbances have been related to a number of issues that affect the development and function of the cardiovascular system. Epidemiological studies have connected obstructive sleep apnea to an increased risk of coronary heart disease, heart failure, stroke, and arrhythmia. Heart failure and arrhythmia are predicted by central sleep apnea with CheyneStokes respiration, and death is substantially predicted in people with heart failure. As a result, there is a strong evidence to include obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea linked with Cheyne-Stokes respiration as potentially modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Small studies show that treating obstructive sleep apnea with continuous positive airway pressure improves not only patient-reported outcomes such as sleepiness, life quality, and mood, but also transition phase cardio - vascular end points such as blood pressure, cardiac ejection fraction, vasculature specifications, and arrhythmias. According to evidence from large-scale randomized control research, positive pressure drugs do not appear to have a role in reducing cardiovascular mortality. Whereas one study found that continuous positive airway stress improves quality of life, mood, and work absenteeism, the findings of two recent major randomised controlled trials published in 2015 and 2016 raise doubts regarding the efficacy of pressure therapy in reducing clinical end points.

Author(s):

Wanner Christopher
Division of Pulmonary and Sleep Medicine, Nationwide Children’s Hospital, The Ohio State University, Columbus, USA

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