Gene expression and phenotypic characterization of mouse heart after chronic constant or intermittent hypoxia.

Chronic constant hypoxia (CCH), such as in pulmonary diseases or high altitude, and chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), such as in sleep apnea, can lead to major changes in the heart. Molecular mechanisms underlying these cardiac alterations are not well understood. We hypothesized that changes in gene expression could help to delineate such mechanisms.