Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Arrhythmias

There is a relationship between arrhythmias and sleep apnea, most notably during sleep. A common rhythm disturbance is nocturnal bradyarrhythmias that occur in association with apneic episodes; however, because of long-term autonomic, functional, and structural cardiac changes, in addition to decreased ischemic threshold, patients with sleep apnea may potentially be at higher risk for developing atrial fibrillation and ventricular arrhythmias. These complications of untreated sleep apnea may conceivably be implicated in nocturnal sudden cardiac death.