Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Sympathetic Nervous System on Cardiac Health: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

A prevalent condition linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease is sleep apnea. This review examines the connections between cardiac risk, the sympathetic nervous system, and sleep apnea. The increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and heart failure was highlighted in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea and its effect on sympathetic activation. It is also important to consider potential processes such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and autonomic imbalance that may relate sleep apnea-induced sympathetic activation to cardiac risk. With implications for creating innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches to lessen the cardiovascular effects of sleep apnea, the goal of this investigation is to improve the understanding of the intricate link between sympathetic activity, cardiac risk, and sleep apnea. This study aimed to clarify the complex relationship between cardiovascular health and sleep apnea by synthesizing the available research and highlighting the crucial role played by the sympathetic nervous system in moderating this relationship. Our thorough investigation may have important therapeutic ramifications that will direct the creation of focused therapies to enhance cardiovascular outcomes in sleep apnea sufferers.

Keywords: cardiac risk; cardiovascular health; sleep apnea; sympathetic activation; sympathetic nervous system.

Figure 1

Flowchart of pathophysiological mechanisms determining increased cardiovascular risk in patients with OSA. Abbreviations: OSA, obstructive sleep apnea; ROS, reactive oxygen species; NO, nitric oxide; NF-κB, Nuclear Factor kappa B; IL-6, Interleukin-6; TNF-α, Tumor Necrosis Factor alpha; CRP, C-Reactive Protein; VCAM-1, Vascular Cell Adhesion Molecule 1.