Sleep apnea and heart failure: Part II: central sleep apnea.

In the first part of this 2-part review, we provided a synopsis of the cardiovascular effects of normal sleep and an overview of the diagnostic, pathophysiological, and therapeutic implications of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in the setting of heart failure (HF). In this second part, we turn our attention to central sleep apnea (CSA), commonly referred to as Cheyne-Stokes respiration. This breathing disorder has a strikingly higher prevalence in patients with HF as compared with the general population with normal left ventricular function, and when present appears to have adverse prognostic implications. Our objective in Part II of this review is to provide a broad perspective of the pathophysiological and clinical significance of CSA in HF.