Treatment of central sleep apnea in heart failure.

Recent studies show that central sleep apnea occur in about 40% of patients with heart failure and systolic dysfunction. The pathophysiological consequences of central sleep apnea may contribute to morbidity and mortality of heart failure. Three treatment modalities, oxygen, continuous positive airway pressure and theophylline have been shown to decrease periodic breathing modestly with considerable improvement in arterial oxyhemoglobin desaturation, and variable effects on sleep characteristics. However, long-term effects of central sleep apnea and its treatment on the natural history of heart failure remain to be determined.