title: Effects of the continuous positive airway pressure on the airways of patients with chronic heart failure.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Heart failure can present with asymptomatic dysfunction at decompensation, with limitations and decrease in the productive capacity. The Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a non-pharmacological means to decrease afterload.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the effects of CPAP (10 cmH2O), for 30 days in patients with chronic heart failure.
  
  
  METHODS
  We assessed 10 patients with heart failure (6 males, 4 females) of several etiologies, with a mean age of 54 +/- 14 years, with a BMI of 21 +/- 0.04 kg/m(2). The therapy was applied for 60 min., 5 times a week for 30 days, during the daytime. The echocardiogram and the ergospirometry were analyzed, before and 30 days after the therapy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was a 19.59% increase in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF): 23.9 +/- 8.91 vs 27.65 +/- 9.56%; p = 0.045. At the ergospirometry, the exercise time (ET) showed a significant increase from 547 +/- 151.319 vs 700 +/- 293.990 sec., p = 0.02; oxygen consumption (VO2) was 9.59 +/- 6.1 vs 4.51 +/- 2.67 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), p = 0.01, whereas the carbon dioxide production (VCO2) at rest (9.85 +/- 4.38 vs 6.44 +/- 2.88 ml x kg(-1) x min(-1), p = 0.03) decreased.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CPAP resulted in an increase in the LVEF and ET, decreased the oxygen consumption and the carbon dioxide production at rest.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil.
authors.forename: João Carlos Moreno de
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Azevedo
authors.forename: Edison Ramos Migowisk de
authors.initials: ER
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.forename: Luis Augusto
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Feijó
authors.forename: Fátima Palha de
authors.initials: FP
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.forename: Sara Lúcia Silveira de
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Menezes
authors.forename: Henrique
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Murad
mesh_terms: D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D002908:Chronic Disease; D045422:Continuous Positive Airway Pressure / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide