Research Links Sleep Apnea and Atrial Fibrillation

By: Patricia Salber MD, MBA (@docweighsin)

Patients with sleep apnea have an increased risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF) and treatment of AF may be affected by sleep apnea.

By now, everyone knows that sleep — both the quality and quantity — has a direct impact on physical and mental health.

As the importance of sleep has gained clinical and consumer attention, sleep apnea has been revealed as a dangerous and potentially life-threatening condition that often goes undiagnosed. At the same time, the prevalence has increased over the past ten years parallel with the growing rates of obesity and being overweight which are risk factors.

The link between sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation

Significant research now also links the most common type of sleep apnea — obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) — to atrial fibrillation (AF). In fact, both conditions share some of the same risk factors including age, weight, and having diabetes. This link has implications for testing, diagnosis, treatment, and management for both sleep apnea and AF.

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a disorder where breathing stops or becomes dangerously shallow during sleep. OSA occurs when…