Obstructive sleep apnoea is a significant independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, and treating it with continuous positive airway pressure improves the efficacy of atrial fibrillation therapies.
Does treatment of obstructive sleep apnoea with CPAP improve atrial fibrillation control?
Obstructive sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation initiation and recurrence, and its treatment with CPAP improves AF control.
Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most prevalent cardiac arrhythmia and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is common among patients with AF. Growing evidence suggests that OSA is associated with the initiation and maintenance of AF. This association is independent of obesity, body mass index and hypertension. OSA not only promotes initiation of AF but also has a significant negative impact on the treatment of AF. Patients with untreated OSA have a higher AF recurrence rate with drug therapy, electrical cardioversion and catheter ablation. Treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) has been shown to improve AF control in patients with OSA. In this article, we will review and discuss the pathophysiological mechanisms of OSA that may predispose OSA patients to AF as well as the standard and emerging therapies for patients with both OSA and AF.
Zhang et al. (Thu,) conducted a review in Atrial Fibrillation and Obstructive Sleep Apnoea. Obstructive sleep apnoea is a significant independent risk factor for atrial fibrillation, and treating it with continuous positive airway pressure improves the efficacy of atrial fibrillation therapies.