Hemodynamics in Sleep Apnea Syndromes

A Review of Literature

Abstract

The literature related to hemodynamics in sleep apnea syndromes was reviewed.
Hemodynamic abnormalities in sleep apnea syndromes include systemic and pulmonary hypertension during wakefulness and sleep and cyclic elevation in arterial pressure with each apneic episode and cardiac arrhythmia. These are thought to play important roles in nocternal sudden death.
Although many aspects of these abnormalities have been studied, cardiovascular, respiratory, endocrine and autonomic nervous system, the mechanism whereby sleep apnea causes abnormalities remains obscure.
There are relatively high incidences of unrecognized sleep apnea in patients with primary hypertension and of untreated sleep apnea causing hypertension.
In summary, further detailed investigation of hemodynamics in sleep apnea is needed, and sleep histories should be clinically required to detect patients requiring therapy for apnea.