Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome

The features of the cardiovascular system regulation form a direct relationship between the nature of the nervous system activity during sleep and such indicators as blood pressure and heart rate. Interruption of sleep or its disturbance can have a negative effect on the functional state of heart and vascular bed. The mechanisms of this effect can be both the violations of sleep cyclic phases, and direct decreases of physiological functions, in particular, the development of hypoxia episodes. They determined a reliable relationship between the presence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome and cardiovascular diseases. The presence of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome increases the risk of cardiovascular disease development by 2.4 times as compared with the population without respiratory disorders during sleep. Significantly higher body mass index values were found in the groups of patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome. Repeated hypoxic conditions can cause persistent disruption of gas exchange processes and further sleep impairment. The interdependence of sleep disorders and circulatory functions creates a vicious circle of pathogenetic influences, which ultimately leads to an increased risk of cardiovascular pathology and associated mortality development. The evaluation of drowsiness as a screening method for obstructive sleep apnea syndrome determination among the patients with cardiovascular diseases, especially among those with treatment-resistant forms. The diagnosis of obstructive sleep apnea requires a polysomnographic study.