Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation (AF) are two common health problems that are linked more closely than you might think. Often getting treatment from a sleep medicine clinic can improve central sleep apnea. Prevalence of OSA and A.Fib Approximately 6 million Americans have received a diagnosis of sleep apnea; however, the actual prevalence of this sleep disorder is believed to impact around 30 million individuals in the U.S. 56% of people aged 65 and above exhibit a high risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea. (1) Atrial fibrillation (AFib) stands as the most frequently diagnosed arrhythmia in clinical settings. Estimates indicate that AFib affects between approximately 2.7 million to 6.1 million individuals in the United States, with projections suggesting this figure will increase to 12.1 million by 2030. The Heart Rhythm Society says that patients with obstructive sleep apnea have increased risk to get afib. This includes irregular heartbeat, nocturnal arrhythmias and cardiovascular disease. Obstructive sleep apnea creates sleep disordered breathing events which causes high blood pressure and irregular heartbeat. Understanding Sleep Apnea and afib AFib disrupts the heart’s electrical signals, causing the upper chambers (atria) to quiver instead of contract properly. This irregularity can lead to increased risk to blood clotting, significantly increasing the risk of stroke. Common risk factors for sleep apnea and AFib include age, high blood pressure, diabetes, and existing heart disease. On the other hand, sleep apnea, affecting millions globally, is marked by breathing interruptions during sleep. Often family history is a factor in OSA patients. Obstructive sleep apnea, the most common type, occurs due to blocked airways in the throat. Despite its prevalence, sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed, with symptoms like loud snoring, gasping for air, excessive daytime sleepiness, and fatigue. What is Obstructive Sleep Apnea? Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA): is a sleep disorder characterized by episodes of upper airway obstruction during sleep, leading to pauses in breathing. These episodes can result in reduced oxygen levels in the blood and causes sleep disordered breathing. This can lead to cardiovascular disease and atrial fibrillation recurrence. Obstructive sleep apnea reduces the amount of oxygen in the body. People with sleep apnea may snore, wake up unrefreshed from sleep or feel tired/fatigued during the day. They can also have respiratory disturbance and frequent awakening. Body mass index in patients with osa can be considered as other risk factors. Prior diagnosis by a sleep doctor using sleep studies is a great way to get osa treatment. A sleep study can be done done at home using equipment that is sent from the sleep doctor. At Sliiip.com we have board-certified sleep doctors that can help you setup your first sleep study and is covered by major health insurances. You can book your appointment with our clinical practice. Diagnosing Sleep Apnea Sleep apnea is often considered sleep disordered breathing and can cause heart rhythm issues. Untreated osa can lead to structural heart disease and pulmonary disease. Recognizing Symptoms: Be aware of common symptoms such as loud snoring, pauses in breathing during sleep, gasping or choking sensations, excessive daytime sleepiness, and morning headaches. If you or someone you know exhibits these signs, it’s important to consider the possibility of sleep apnea. Medical History Review: During an evaluation for sleep apnea, your healthcare provider will review your medical history, including any existing conditions, medications you’re taking, and lifestyle factors that may contribute to sleep disturbances. Sleep Study (Polysomnography): The gold standard for diagnosing sleep apnea is a sleep study, also known as polysomnography. This test is typically conducted in a sleep center or sometimes at home using portable monitoring devices. It measures various parameters during sleep, including breathing patterns, oxygen levels, heart rate, and brain activity. Home Sleep Apnea Testing: In some cases, if a patient is suspected of having uncomplicated obstructive sleep apnea, a healthcare provider may recommend a home sleep apnea test. This involves wearing a portable monitoring device at home to record breathing patterns, oxygen levels, and other relevant data during sleep. Sometimes an overnight sleep study is needed especially if there is sleep apnea severity. Clinical Evaluation: A healthcare provider, often a sleep medicine specialist or pulmonologist, will interpret the results of the sleep study or home sleep apnea test to make a diagnosis. They will also consider other factors such as physical examination findings and symptoms reported by the patient. Collaborative Treatment Planning: Once diagnosed with sleep apnea, collaborative treatment planning involves discussing treatment options with your healthcare provider. This may include lifestyle changes, such as weight loss or positional therapy, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy, oral appliances, surgery, or other interventions tailored to individual needs. What is Atrial Fibrillation (AF)? Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AFib) describes a fast, irregular heartbeat that only lasts a few hours or days. Typically, it goes away on its own in under 24 hours, but it may last up to a week. Sometimes, people are unaware they have paroxysmal AFib Atrial Fibrillation disrupts the heart’s electrical signals, causing the upper chambers (atria) to quiver and beat out of sync from the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart. This causes the atria to not contract properly. Symptoms of atrial fibrillation include palpitations (feeling the heart race), shortness of breath, tiredness, dizziness, and chest discomfort. AFib is dangerous and can lead to blood clotting, significantly increasing the risk of stroke. In fact, A.Fib causes about 1 in 7 strokes and strokes associated with sleep apnea and AFib are found to be more severe. Common risk factors for AFib include age, high blood pressure, diabetes, and existing heart disease. According to the Stroke Association, atrial fibrillation recurrence can cause heart failure, increased blood pressure, acute hypercapnia and change your heart rhythm. How They Are Connected Research shows risk factors between sleep apnea, especially OSA, and atrial fibrillation. Here’s why: Nervous System Changes: Our nervous system is made up of two components, the autonomic AKA the “rest and digest” system and the sympathetic nervous system AKA the “fight or flight” response. Sleep apnea disrupts the autonomic nervous system, causing more ‘fight or flight’ responses during breathing pauses. This can trigger irregular heartbeats like AFib. Low Oxygen Levels: During