Sleepapneais a medical condition that causes pauses in breathing, called apneas, during sleep.
It can causestroke, heart failure, blood clots, and other health complications.
AFib and sleep apnea share some risk factors and potential complications in common.
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In fact, those with sleep apnea may be at higher risk of atrial fibrillation.
However, its not entirely clear how the two conditions are linked.
Current estimates indicate that having OSA increases the risk of having AFib by two to four times.
Severe OSA is associated with an even higher risk of developing AFib.
How Common Are Sleep Apnea and AFib?
Both sleep apnea and AFib are relatively common medical conditions.
There is no single cause of either sleep apnea or AFib.
These may include:
How Many People Have Both Sleep Apnea and AFib?
Some estimates suggest that around half of people who have OSA also have AFib.
Diagnosing Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea causes breathing interruptions during sleep.
Each apnea event typically lasts 10 seconds or more.
In severe cases, someone with sleep apnea may experience 30 or more of these pauses per hour.
Your AHI will determine whether you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.
AFib is usually diagnosed when a healthcare provider notices a completely irregular, often rapid, heart rate.
Healthcare providers often classify AFib into various clinical patterns, which may affect the choice of treatment.
Among people with OSA, the risk of developing recurrent AFib is higher after catheter ablation.
The most common jot down is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
AFib can be diagnosed with an echocardiogram (ECG).
There is evidence of an association between sleep apnea and AFib.
About half of people with OSA also have AFib.
Sleep apnea and AFib share some risk factors in common, including age, obesity, and smoking.
Both sleep apnea and AFib may lead to health complications like stroke and heart failure.
Treating OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy can reduce the recurrence of atrial fibrillation.
Its important to treat both sleep apnea and AFib as advised by your healthcare provider.
This can help you prevent, manage, and treat the symptoms of both conditions.
This is especially true among people with severe sleep apnea.
Atrial fibrillation is not entirely curable.
However, it can be managed and treated effectively.
Treatment for AFib usually involves taking prescribed medications and, in certain cases, procedures such as catheter ablation.
Sleep apnea is a chronic condition, which means it is not curable.
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American Sleep Apnea Association.Sleep apnea information for clinicians.
Loyola Medicine.Atrial fibrillation: what you better know.
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea.
American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?
Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.Understanding PAP.
