Cardiac arrhythmias and conduction disturbances in the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

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Cardiac arrhythmias during sleep are reported in almost half of the population suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). The most common are bradyarrhythmias and atrial fibrillation whereas premature ventricular contractions and nonsustained ventricular tachycardia are less frequent. The risk of arrhythmia is proportional to the body mass index (BMI), number of respiratory events per hour of sleep described with apnea/hypopnea index (AHI) and the level of oxygen desaturation during these episodes. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment in OSA reduces the incidence of cardiac arrhythmias therefore reduce mortality and morbidity from cardiovascular disease.