Central sleep apnea interfering with adequate left ventricular filling in a patient with left ventricular assist device.

Central sleep apnea is common in patients with advanced heart failure. Apneic episodes are associated with hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and neurohumoral activation resulting in a rise in pulmonary vascular resistance. This case report describes a patient with a left ventricular assist device implanted for severe heart failure in whom unrecognized central sleep apnea resulted in under-filling of the left ventricle and a reduction in left ventricular assist device inflow.