Sleep Apnea and Cardiovascular Disease

Cardiovascular disease is still the leading cause of death in North America. To improve outcomes, it will likely be necessary to identify new potentially treatable conditions. Sleep apnea affects approximately 50% of patients with cardiovascular disease and is associated with increased cardiovascular risk. Continuous positive airway pressure is currently the treatment of choice and has many short-term favorable effects. The long-term benefits, however, remain elusive. Further, it may not be the ideal treatment for central sleep apnea, and the benefits of alternatives such adaptive servo-ventilation are currently being tested. Randomized controlled trials are now needed to determine whether treating sleep apnea will improve survival and reduce cardiovascular disease risk. Until better evidence becomes available, testing for sleep apnea cannot be recommended as part of the routine cardiovascular disease risk assessment, nor can its treatment be recommended for the prevention or management of cardiovascular disease in asymptomatic patients.