Breathless nights and heart flutters: Understanding the relationship between obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation

Abstract

There is an extraordinary and increasing global burden of atrial fibrillation (AF) and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), two conditions that frequently accompany one another and that share underlying risk factors. Whether a causal pathophysiologic relationship connects OSA to the development and/or progression of AF, or whether shared risk factors promote both conditions, is unproven. With increasing recognition of the importance of controlling AF-related risk factors, numerous observational studies now highlight the potential benefits of OSA treatment in AF-related outcomes. Physicians are regularly faced with caring for this important and increasing population of patients despite a paucity of clinical guidance on the topic. Here, we review the clinical epidemiology and pathophysiology of AF and OSA with a focus on key clinical studies and major outstanding questions that should be addressed in future studies.

Keywords: Arrhythmia; Atrial fibrillation; Atrial fibrillation ablation; Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP); Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA); Sleep apnea; Sleep disordered breathing (SDB).