Abstract
Studies from the USA have reported that sleep apnoea is common in congestive heart failure (CHF), with Cheyne–Stokes respiration (CSR) being the most frequent type of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) in these patients. Within the present study, the authors sought to assess the prevalence and type of SDB among CHF patients in Germany.
A total of 203 CHF patients participated in this prospective multicentre study. All patients were stable in New York Heart Association classes II and III and had a left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) <40%. The patients were investigated by polygraphy and all data were centrally analysed. Patient enrolment was irrespective of sleep-related symptoms.
The majority of patients were male with a mean age of 65 yrs and hospitalised. Of the 203 patients, 145 (71%) had an apnoea/hypopnoea index >10·h−1, obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) occurred in 43% (n = 88) and CSR in 28% (n = 57) of patients.
The prevalence of sleep-disordered breathing is high in patients with stable severe congestive heart failure from a European population. As sleep-disordered breathing may have a negative impact on the prognosis of congestive heart failure, a sleep study should be performed in every patient with congestive heart failure and a left ventricular ejection fraction of <40%. This diagnostic approach should probably be adopted for all of these patients irrespective of the presence of sleep-related symptoms.
Footnotes
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