Zeitschrift für Kardiologie
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Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) during sleep is common in patients with severe congestive heart failure induces repetitive oxygen desaturation with arousals, and impairs sleep. This causes daytime symptoms and likely an increase in sympathetic activity. It has, therefore, been suggested that CSR is independently related to mortality. ⋯ Nocturnal oxygen reduces CSR and improves exercise tolerance as well as sleep. This and its apparent safety makes oxygen an appropriate treatment for nocturnal CSR. Whether successful treatment of nocturnal CSR has any impact on the natural course of heart failure needs to be determined in further studies.