ABSTRACT
Coronary artery disease is highly prevalent and claims many lives. Sleep is a part of everybody’s life, and – contrary to what is often thought – it is actually an active, organized process. Sleep-related breathing disorders have been linked to coronary artery disease (CAD). In this chapter, we will see how normal sleep affects the heart, specifically the coronary circulation. We will also discuss the effects of normal sleep and sleep-related breathing disorders, specifically obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), on the coronary circulation and cardiovascular system. We will describe several mechanisms by which sleep-related breathing disorders can cause atherosclerosis and contribute to CAD. Finally, the treatment of sleep-related breathing disorders and its impact on CAD-related morbidity and mortality will be addressed.
