Should All Congestive Heart Failure Patients Have a Routine Sleep Apnea Screening? Pro

摘要

Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is highly prevalent in heart failure (HF) patients. These breathing disturbances are independent predictors of increased morbidity and comorbid conditions that improve with SDB treatment. Considering the overlap between SDB-related and HF clinical symptoms reported by patients, objective tests need to be conducted for a diagnosis to be firmly established and to determine the type and severity of SDB that will dictate treatment alternatives. Considering the high success rate and diagnostic value of ambulatory monitoring techniques, they represent a practical, cost-effective, and accurate alternative to diagnosing SDB in HF patients.