{"id":2394,"date":"2026-01-07T09:18:10","date_gmt":"2026-01-07T09:18:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/?page_id=2394"},"modified":"2026-01-07T09:18:14","modified_gmt":"2026-01-07T09:18:14","slug":"cardiovascular-systems","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/?page_id=2394","title":{"rendered":"Cardiovascular Systems"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is a common breathing disorder associated with an increased risk of <strong>hypertension, heart failure, stroke, atrial fibrillation, diabetes and other conditions.<\/strong> Hence, it is important to properly <strong>identify<\/strong> and <strong>successfully treat<\/strong> patients with obstructive sleep apnea.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-1&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-1\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-1\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-1-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>OSA is the absence of airflow due to an occlusion in the upper airway that lasts at least 10 seconds in spite of continual effort to breathe. Severity is measured by the Apnea\/Hypopnea Index (AHI) \u2013 the number of episodes per hour of sleep.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-2&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-2\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Periodic Breathing<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-2\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-2-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Periodic breathing is defined as alternating periods of hyperventilation with waxing\/waning tidal volume and periods of central hypopneas or apneas. There are many forms of periodic breathing, one of which is Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR).<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-3&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-3\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">Complex Sleep Apnea<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-3\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-3-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Complex Sleep Apnea is a condition that occurs when a patient is identified as having OSA, but with the application of Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) to eliminate the OSA, the patient develops Central Sleep Apnea. The cause of Complex Sleep Apnea is not known at this time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Prevalence of OSA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>5 to 10 percent of adults in the U.S. have OSA, approximating 20 million people<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prevalence of OSA is higher in Asians, Hispanic Women and African-Americans<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>85 to 90 percent of patients have not been identified<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>1 in 4 patients is at risk for OSA<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;autoclose&quot;: false, &quot;accordionItems&quot;: [] }\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/accordion\" role=\"group\" class=\"wp-block-accordion is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-is-layout-flow\">\n<div data-wp-class--is-open=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-context=\"{ &quot;id&quot;: &quot;accordion-item-4&quot;, &quot;openByDefault&quot;: false }\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.initAccordionItems\" data-wp-on-window--hashchange=\"callbacks.hashChange\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-item is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-item-is-layout-flow\">\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading\"><button aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" data-wp-bind--aria-expanded=\"state.isOpen\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.toggle\" data-wp-on--keydown=\"actions.handleKeyDown\" id=\"accordion-item-4\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle\"><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-title\">The Cardiologist\u2019s Role<\/span><span class=\"wp-block-accordion-heading__toggle-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\">+<\/span><\/button><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<div inert aria-labelledby=\"accordion-item-4\" data-wp-bind--inert=\"!state.isOpen\" id=\"accordion-item-4-panel\" role=\"region\" class=\"wp-block-accordion-panel is-layout-flow wp-block-accordion-panel-is-layout-flow\">\n<p>Patients with sleep apnea have an increased risk of developing potentially life-threatening conditions. Early screening and identification of sleep apnea may help to prevent the development of these other conditions. Once patients have been diagnosed with sleep apnea and have begun therapy for their sleep apnea, close follow-up is important in order to ensure that they are receiving appropriate treatment for their sleep apnea. Effective treatment not only results in better sleep, but may also decrease the risk of developing other potentially life-threatening conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Treatment of OSA with CPAP Therapy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>CPAP provides a pneumatic splint to keep the OSA patient\u2019s airway open to treat OSA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Treatment of OSA with positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy improves sleep-related breathing. Adequately treated OSA is also associated with improved cardiovascular outcomes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Comorbidity \u2013 Sleep Apnea and Cardiac Disease<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Obstructive Sleep Apnea has been independently associated with an increased risk of cardiac arrhythmias, hypertension, heart failure, stroke, Type 2 diabetes, and coronary artery disease. A large percentage of patients with OSA remain undiagnosed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) has been associated with various forms of cardiovascular (CV) disease.<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Individuals with severe SDB are two to four times more likely to develop complex arrhythmias than those without SDB. Individuals with diagnosed OSA are between two to three times more likely to develop hypertension, and more likely to suffer a stroke than those without OSA. The prevalence of OSA in patients with heart failure is estimated at 40 to 70 percent. Type 2 diabetes is more prevalent in patients with SDB independent of other risk factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Hypertension<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Sleep apnea has been associated with the development of hypertension in a dose response relationship. NIH \/NHLBI JNC7 recognizes OSA as an identifiable cause of hypertension and recommends screening newly identified hypertensive patients or patients who develop refractory hypertension for OSA.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Heart Failure<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>ACC\/AHA Heart Failure Guidelines recognize OSA as a possible cause for heart failure and recommend screening newly identified heart failure patients for OSA.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Arrhythmias<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>OSA is associated with a significant risk of atrial fibrillation even after controlling for known confounding parameters. 49 percent of patients with atrial fibrillation have OSA while 32 percent of the general cardiology practice have OSA.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Results of Effective Treatment of OSA<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Cardiovascular Outcomes in Patients Treated for OSA vs. Patients with Untreated OSA<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Patients with untreated OSA were 2.68 times more likely to suffer a non-fatal CV event compared to those whose OSA was effectively treated with CPAP, and were 2.5 times more likely to suffer a fatal CV event compared to those whose OSA was effectively treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Treatment of OSA Can Positively Impact Hypertension<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Reduced daytime blood pressure in patients whose OSA is effectively treated. Effective treatment of OSA resulted in reduced systolic blood pressure in refractory hypertension patients with OSA. Normalized nocturnal blood pressure pattern (restored sipper status) in a non-dipper OSA population whose OSA was effectively treated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Treatment of OSA Can Positively Impact Heart Failure (HF)<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Effective treatment of OSA resulted in improved Left Ventricular Ejection Fraction percent, Left Ventricular End Systolic Diameter and systolic blood pressure in HF patients with OSA. Significantly improved quality of life for HF patients whose OSA was effectively treated.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n<\/details>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<details class=\"wp-block-details is-layout-flow wp-block-details-is-layout-flow\"><summary><strong>Treatment of OSA Can Positively Impact Arrhythmias<\/strong><\/summary>\n<p>Appropriate treatment of OSA was associated with reduction in atrial fibrillation recurrence after cardioversion. Untreated OSA is associated with increased rate of recurrence of atrial fibrillation and severity of nocturnal oxygen desaturation.<\/p>\n<\/details>\n\n\n\n<!--nextpage-->\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"bgseo_title":"","bgseo_description":"","bgseo_robots_index":"index","bgseo_robots_follow":"follow","ocean_post_layout":"","ocean_both_sidebars_style":"","ocean_both_sidebars_content_width":0,"ocean_both_sidebars_sidebars_width":0,"ocean_sidebar":"0","ocean_second_sidebar":"0","ocean_disable_margins":"enable","ocean_add_body_class":"","ocean_shortcode_before_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_after_top_bar":"","ocean_shortcode_before_header":"","ocean_shortcode_after_header":"","ocean_has_shortcode":"","ocean_shortcode_after_title":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_widgets":"","ocean_shortcode_before_footer_bottom":"","ocean_shortcode_after_footer_bottom":"","ocean_display_top_bar":"default","ocean_display_header":"default","ocean_header_style":"","ocean_center_header_left_menu":"0","ocean_custom_header_template":"0","ocean_custom_logo":0,"ocean_custom_retina_logo":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_width":0,"ocean_custom_logo_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_tablet_max_height":0,"ocean_custom_logo_mobile_max_height":0,"ocean_header_custom_menu":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_family":"0","ocean_menu_typo_font_subset":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_size":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_font_size_unit":"px","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_font_weight_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_tablet":"","ocean_menu_typo_transform_mobile":"","ocean_menu_typo_line_height":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_line_height_unit":"","ocean_menu_typo_spacing":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_tablet":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_mobile":0,"ocean_menu_typo_spacing_unit":"","ocean_menu_link_color":"","ocean_menu_link_color_hover":"","ocean_menu_link_color_active":"","ocean_menu_link_background":"","ocean_menu_link_hover_background":"","ocean_menu_link_active_background":"","ocean_menu_social_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_bg":"","ocean_menu_social_links_color":"","ocean_menu_social_hover_links_color":"","ocean_disable_title":"default","ocean_disable_heading":"default","ocean_post_title":"","ocean_post_subheading":"","ocean_post_title_style":"","ocean_post_title_background_color":"","ocean_post_title_background":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_image_position":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_attachment":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_repeat":"","ocean_post_title_bg_image_size":"","ocean_post_title_height":0,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay":0.5,"ocean_post_title_bg_overlay_color":"","ocean_disable_breadcrumbs":"default","ocean_breadcrumbs_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_separator_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_color":"","ocean_breadcrumbs_links_hover_color":"","ocean_display_footer_widgets":"default","ocean_display_footer_bottom":"default","ocean_custom_footer_template":"0","footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2394","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry","entry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2394"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2397,"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2394\/revisions\/2397"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sleepeasysingapore.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}