Device Therapy for Sleep-Disordered Breathing in Patients with Cardiovascular Diseases and Heart Failure.

Pathophysiologic components of upper airway obstruction, reduced tidal volume, and disturbed respiratory drive characterize sleep-disordered breathing. Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices address these components by stabilizing the upper airways (continuous PAP), applying air volumes and mandatory breaths (bilevel PAP), or counterbalancing ventilation (adaptive servoventilation). Although PAP therapies have been shown to improve breathing disturbances, daytime symptoms, and left ventricular function in obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular diseases, the effects on mortality are controversial, especially in heart failure and central sleep apnea. Optimal treatment is selected based on polysomnographic findings and symptoms, and applied based on the underlying pathophysiologic components.