Swiss medical weekly
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Swiss medical weekly · Mar 2009
ReviewTherapeutical options for the treatment of Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
The awareness of Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) and of the co-existence of the obstructive sleep apnoea syndrome and central breathing disturbances has rapidly grown in recent years. CSR is defined by a waxing and waning pattern of the breathing amplitude. Sleep related breathing disorders in patients with heart failure are associated with impaired clinical outcome and survival. ⋯ There is a lack of evidence on the use of bilevel devices in CSR. However, ASV has proven both to effectively treat CSR and to be superior to CPAP in respiratory and sleep parameters in short term and medium term studies. Nevertheless, data on the long term use and the influence on cardiac parameters are necessary.