About Heart Failure and Central Sleep Apnea:

Heart Failure (HF) is a condition in which the heart can't pump enough blood to meet the body's needs.  It is a common disease, affecting over 5.8 million people in the United States and over 23 million worldwide.^(1-2)

Heart failure can cause a number of symptoms:

• Shortness of breath due to fluid in the lungs
• Swollen ankles, legs, abdomen and weight gain due to retention of fluid
• Fatigue, dizziness and weakness due to less blood being delivered to major organs and muscles
• Irregular or rapid heartbeats due to the heart working harder to deliver more blood to the body
• Daytime sleepiness due to interrupted sleep

In recent years, it has been recognized that the symptoms of fatigue and daytime sleepiness in patients with Heart Failure may be due to irregular breathing during sleep called Sleep Disordered Breathing. Sleep Disordered Breathing is common in Heart Failure patients, with studies showing approximately 75% of Heart Failure patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing.^(3-7) Central Sleep Apnea is one of the two main types of Sleep Disordered Breathing.

Click on the following to learn more:

• What is Central Sleep Apnea?

  There are two main types of Sleep Disordered Breathing. One commonly known type is Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). Obstructive Sleep Apnea occurs when your lungs work normally but the breathing passages collapse temporarily during sleep. Thus, no air moves in and out of the lungs, even though the chest is moving.

  Central Sleep Apnea (CSA) is one of the two main types of Sleep Disordered Breathing. Central Sleep Apnea occurs when your brain does not send the correct signals to your breathing muscles (the diaphragm). Because the diaphragm does not move appropriately, the lungs do not move air in and out in a natural manner. Breathing is sometimes deep and rapid and at other times slow and shallow (hypopnea) or temporarily stopped completely (apnea).

  

  It is estimated that about half of all Heart Failure patients with Sleep Disordered Breathing will have Central Sleep Apnea and half will have Obstructive Sleep Apnea.

  It is now known that Central Sleep Apnea can lead to the worsening of heart failure and has been shown to be associated with an increased risk of death.⁽⁷⁾

• How Do I Know if I Have Central Sleep Apnea?

  You may recognize that you do not sleep well, and are tired and sleepy during the day. While these symptoms can be due to heart failure, they may also be due to Central Sleep Apnea, which interrupts your nightly sleep. To diagnose Central Sleep Apnea, individuals undergo a Sleep Study to monitor the body during sleep.

  A sleep study is a non-invasive test involving a series of external monitors and air measurement devices to measure electrical activity of the brain, eye movement, muscle activity, heart rate, respiratory effort, air flow, and blood oxygen levels. It is often performed in a sleep center requiring an overnight stay however some studies can be conducted at home.

  The sleep study will determine if you have Sleep Disordered Breathing and if your primary type of apnea is Central Sleep Apnea, Obstructive Sleep Apnea or a mix of both.

  If you think you have any symptoms of Central Sleep Apnea, consult with your physician.

• References