Short- and long-term effects of nocturnal oxygen therapy on sleep apnea in chronic heart failure.

Purpose: This paper studies the short- and long-term effects of nocturnal oxygen therapy (NOT) on sleep apnea in chronic heart failure (CHF).

Methods: We enrolled 51 adults in New York Heart Association (NYHA) heart failure functional classes II or III, ≤45 % left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), in a randomized, open, single-center study. Nocturnal cardiorespiratory polygraphy showed sleep apnea [apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥15 events/h] in 33 patients, of whom 19 were randomly assigned to NOT, 3.

Overdrive ventricular pacing in pacemaker recipients with permanent atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea.

Study Objectives: Cardiac pacing is ineffective in obstructive sleep apnea (SA), but it can alleviate central SA/Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSA) in patients with heart failure (HF). We examined whether overnight overdrive ventricular pacing (OVP) has an effect on SA in pacemaker recipients with permanent atrial fibrillation (AF).

Methods: An apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) ≥ 15 was confirmed in 28/38 patients screened by finger pulse oximetry during overnight ventricular pacing at a backup rate of 40 bpm (BUV40).

Cardiovascular effects and risk of syncope related to donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Background: When otherwise unexplained, syncope in patients with Alzheimer's disease may be attributed to bradycardia caused by cholinesterase inhibitors. We studied prospectively the clinical events and cardiovascular changes occurring during treatment with donepezil in patients with Alzheimer's disease.

Methods: Consecutive patients presenting with mild-to-moderate Alzheimer's disease were included in the study.

Causes of syncope in patients with Alzheimer's disease treated with donepezil.

Introduction: Treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with cholinesterase inhibitors carries a theoretical risk of precipitating bradycardia. Though syncope occurs in patients with AD, its aetiology is unclear. The aim of this study was to determine the causes of syncope in patients with AD who were treated with donepezil and hospitalised for evaluation of syncope.