Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure Connected?
It is estimated that at least 10 million Americans suffer
from undiagnosed sleep apnea, a treatable disorder in
which a person stops breathing during sleep for at least
10 seconds. Often occurring hundreds of times during
the night, over time, sleep apneas can lead to the progression
of heart failure.
Researchers at Penn are studying the effectiveness
of a new continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP)
device for the treatment of central sleep apnea
and its relationship with congestive heart failure
(CHF). "This is a non-drug therapy that has
the potential to eliminate patients' apnea and
have a positive effect on their heart failure,"
says Lee
R. Goldberg, MD, a heart failure specialist
at Penn Cardiac Care at the Hospital of the University
of Pennsylvania. Preliminary studies have shown
that the new CPAP reduces patient fatigue and
shortness of breath and enables patients to walk
further distances and be more active.
The new device monitors the patient’s breathing
pattern, detects pauses and/or periods of rapid breathing,
and adjusts its response accordingly. Its ability to
adjust pressure as needed to maintain even breathing
represents a major technological breakthrough in sleep
apnea therapy. "It is much more comfortable than
a static device where the pressure is constant, regardless
of whether or not the patient is awake or breathing
irregularly," explains Dr. Goldberg. Given these
benefits, patients may be able to rest easier with the
new device.
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