Abstract
Emerging risk factors for the development of atrial fibrillation (AF) include a variety of breathing disorders. For example, reduced lung function1 and sleep-disordered breathing2 each has been independently associated with increased risk for AF. Obstructive sleep apnea was the strongest predictor of recurrent AF following catheter ablation.3 The severity of nocturnal hypoxemia in patients with obstructive sleep apnea independently predicted new-onset AF.4 However, transient arterial hypoxemia and hypercapnia, such as occur during sleep-disordered breathing, may be associated with overcompensatory fluctuations in autonomic tone, intrathoracic pressure and cardiac hemodynamics, with possible atrial stretch and remodeling, each of which could predispose to AF.
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