One hundred twenty-six eligible consecutive Chinese heart failure (HF) patients classified by New York Heart Association (NYHA) Classes II-IV underwent historic data collection and a sleep study. Seventy-one percent of HF patients were diagnosed with sleep apnea (SA), of which 65% were central sleep apnea (CSA) and 35% were obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Higher body mass index (BMI), metabolic syndrome, habitual snoring, and nocturia were independent risk factors for OSA; NYHA classes III and IV were independent risk factors for CSA in the HF patients. There was a high prevalence of SA in Chinese patients with HF. HF patients with obesity, metabolic syndrome, snoring, nocturia and NYHA classes III and IV were more susceptible to OSA and CSA.