Decisions regarding cardiac transplantation listing are difficult in patients with heart failure who have relatively discordant peak exercise oxygen consumption (Vo(2)) and cardiac index (CI) values. One hundred five patients with heart failure who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing and right-sided cardiac catheterization for transplantation evaluation were studied. Patients were divided into 4 groups on the basis of peak Vo(2) and CI: group 1, Vo(2) > or = 12 ml/min/kg, CI > or = 1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Among patients with heart failure, sleep-disordered breathing is a common problem, with a prevalence ranging from 24% to 76%. Encompassed within the general category of sleep-disordered breathing are 2 types of sleep apnea: obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when the oropharyngeal musculature relaxes, causing a collapse of the upper airway, and central sleep apnea occurs when the brain stem fails to stimulate breathing.
Methods And Results: This article focuses on the relationship between heart failure and OSA, the treatment of OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), and the role of CPAP in improving such effects of heart failure as ejection fraction, blood pressure, sympathetic activity, sleepiness, heart rate, and mortality.