CPAP improves prognosis of certain heart failure by decreasing arterial stiffness

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is associated with arterial stiffness, which may be one of the factors that lead to heart failure (HF). Dr.Satoshi Suzuki of Fukushima Medical University, Fukushima, Japan and colleagues examined the relationship between pulse wave velocity (PWV) and Sleep-disordered breathing,SDB in patients who have HF with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) and HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The investigators found that treating obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing abnormalities through the use of CPAP may improve the prognosis of certain heart failure patients by decreasing arterial stiffness The study has been published in ESC Heart Failure, a journal of the European Society of Cardiology.

The researchers measured the apnoea–hypopnoea index (AHI) by polysomnography, echocardiographic parameters, and PWV in 221 HF patients. Age, blood pressure, and PWV were higher in HFpEF (ejection fraction > 50%, n = 70) patients than in HFrEF (ejection fraction < 50%, n = 151) patient

In the study, arterial stiffness increased according to the severity of sleep-disordered breathing in patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction.

The findings suggest that treating obstructive sleep apnea and other sleep-related breathing abnormalities -- for example, through the use of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) devices--may improve the prognosis of certain heart failure patients by decreasing arterial stiffness.

"We hope that CPAP may improve not only hypertension but also arterial stiffness, and lead to improvements in the prognosis of patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction," said co-author Dr. Akiomi Yoshihisa, of Fukushima Medical University, in Japan.

For more details click on the link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/ehf2.12273