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Evidence and Mechanisms Linking Obstructive Sleep Apnea to Cardiovascular Disease

  • Chapter
Primary Care Sleep Medicine

Part of the book series: Current Clinical Practice ((CCP))

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Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been recognized as a cause of sleep disruption and daytime somnolence. During the past two decades, emerging evidence has implicated OSA as a comorbidity in a number of cardiovascular disease conditions (1). More recently, the effects of OSA have been linked to the activation of a number of mechanisms that may contribute to the development and progression of cardiovascular disease. Treatment of OSA in patients with existing cardiovascular disease conditions has been associated with improvements in these disease conditions. However, much of the evidence is still circumstantial and etiological evidence for OSA in initiating cardiovascular damage remains debatable. This review will examine the possible mechanisms by which sleep apnea may contribute to cardiovascular dysfunction and disease, those cardiovascular disease conditions that frequently exist as comorbidities with OSA, and the effects of treatment of sleep apnea on these cardiovascular disease conditions.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Hypertension and Cardiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN

    Virend K. Somers MD, PhD

Authors
  1. Virend K. Somers MD, PhD
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Practice, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Southern Colorado Family Medicine Residency, Pueblo, CO

    James F. Pagel MS, MD

  2. Comprehensive Center for Sleep Medicine Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care, and Sleep Medicine, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY

    S. R. Pandi-Perumal MSc

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© 2007 Humana Press Inc., Totowa, NJ

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Somers, V.K. (2007). Evidence and Mechanisms Linking Obstructive Sleep Apnea to Cardiovascular Disease. In: Pagel, J.F., Pandi-Perumal, S.R. (eds) Primary Care Sleep Medicine. Current Clinical Practice. Humana Press. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-421-6_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-59745-421-6_10

  • Publisher Name: Humana Press

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-58829-992-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-59745-421-6

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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