Prevalence of sleep disordered breathing in a heart failure program.

Recent data show that a high percentage of patients with systolic left ventricular dysfunction have sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), contributing to the incidence of morbidity and mortality in heart failure. This study examines the prevalence of sleep disorders in stable heart failure patients regardless of ejection fraction. On three consecutive days in a heart failure clinic, all patients were asked to participate in a screening for SDB. This screening involved the placement of an outpatient device (ClearPath, Nexan, Inc., Alpharetta, GA), which collects thoracic impedance, oxyhemoglobin saturation, and 2-lead electrocardiogram data. Sixteen patients (42%) had moderate or severe SDB, and 22 patients (55%) had mild or no significant SDB. Fourteen of the 16 patients with moderate or severe SDB subsequently received treatment by confirming SDB and the continuous positive airway pressure in a sleep lab. Forty-two percent of patients with stable heart failure presenting to a heart failure clinic screened positive for SDB, despite receiving optimal standard of care.