Pneumologie
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In 21 patients suffering from severe sleep-apnoea syndrome we measured continuously haemodynamic parameters, blood gases, ECG, EEG, respiratory rate and ultrasonic cardiogram before and under treatment with nasal CPAP-breathing. All patients (male, age 29 to 58 yrs) had normal blood gases, heart-minute-volumes pulmonary artery pressures and left ventricular end-diastolic wedge pressures, when they were awake. During sleep all developed a decrease of pO2 and severe pulmonary artery hypertension with mean pulmonary artery pressures of 64 mmHg. ⋯ The pulmonary artery pressures normalised in all patients. No right ventricular enlargement could be seen during nasal CPAP-breathing. Treatment with CPAP-breathing could normalise haemodynamic disorders in patients with severe SAS and may perhaps prevent development of cor pulmonale.