Sleep Disordered Breathing And Ventricular Arrhythmias: Mechanisms and Implications

Sleep-Disordered breathing (SDB) describes a group of disorders characterized by abnormalities of respiratory pattern (pauses in breathing) or the quantity of ventilation during sleep. Sleep disordered breathing, including the sleep apnea syndrome, is demanding the attention of clinicians and researchers due to its high prevalence, detrimental impact on quality of life and association with a myriad of morbidities in multiple body systems. SDB has been associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular diseases. Life-threatening cardiac arrhythmias are of utmost importance because of their clinical implications.