title: Cardiovascular consequences of sleep apnea.
abstract: Cardiovascular disease has been the leading cause of death since 1900. Strategies for cardiovascular disease and prevention have helped to reduce the burden of disease, but it remains an important public health challenge. Therefore, understanding the underlying pathophysiology and developing novel therapeutic approaches for cardiovascular disease is of crucial importance. Recognizing the link between sleep and cardiovascular disease may represent one such novel approach. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a common form of sleep-disordered breathing, has a high and rising prevalence in the general adult population, attributable in part to the emerging epidemic of obesity and enhanced awareness. OSA has been independently linked to specific cardiovascular outcomes such as hypertension, stroke, myocardial ischemia, arrhythmias, fatal and nonfatal cardiovascular events, and all-cause mortality. Treatment of OSA may represent a novel target to reduce cardiovascular health outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 333 Cedar Street, PO Box 208057, New Haven, CT 06520-8057, USA.
authors.forename: Bernardo
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Selim
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Won
authors.forename: H Klar
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Yaggi
mesh_terms: D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000503:physiopathology; D002639:Cheyne-Stokes Respiration / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000502:physiology; D016757:Death, Sudden, Cardiac; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000503:physiopathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000503:physiopathology; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018754:Ventricular Dysfunction / Q000503:physiopathology