Central sleep apnoea (CSA) occurs in a large proportion of HF patients. CSA has clear detrimental effects, resulting in intermittent hypoxia and sympathetic activation, and is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Treatment options are limited following the results of a recent trial in which adaptive servo-ventilation resulted in an increase in cardiovascular mortality. Ongoing studies utilising other forms of positive airway pressure may provide additional insight into the results of this trial. A new neurostimulation therapy, phrenic nerve stimulation, has offered a new physiological approach to the treatment of CSA. This therapy has resulted in improvements in the severity of disease and quality of life.
Keywords: Central sleep apnoea; heart failure; hypoxia; phrenic nerve stimulation.