Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsSleep Apnea and AFibDiagnosing Sleep ApneaDiagnosing AFibTreating Both ConditionsFrequently Asked Questions

Table of ContentsView All

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Table of Contents

Sleep Apnea and AFib

Diagnosing Sleep Apnea

Diagnosing AFib

Treating Both Conditions

Frequently Asked Questions

Sleepapneais a medical condition that causes pauses in breathing, called “apneas,” during sleep. The most common kind of sleep apnea isobstructive sleep apnea(OSA), in which the upper airways become blocked and restrict airflow. Left untreated, OSA can lead to medical complications like heart disease,heart failure, stroke, and sudden death.

AFib and sleep apnea share some risk factors and potential complications in common. In fact, those with sleep apnea may be at higher risk of atrial fibrillation.

This article will discuss the link between sleep apnea and AFib, shared risk factors, getting diagnosed for either condition, and how to treat both conditions.

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Man sleeps with CPAP mask over nose for sleep apnea

The Relationship Between Sleep Apnea and AFib

There is evidence of an association between sleep apnea and AFib. However, it’s not entirely clear how the two conditions are linked.

The risk of developing temporary AFib is also higher immediately following an apnea event during sleep.People with OSA also have a higher likelihood of developing recurrent AFib, especially if their OSA is left untreated.

How Common Are Sleep Apnea and AFib?

There is no single cause of either sleep apnea or AFib. Several of the risk factors for both conditions overlap, including:

Because of the strong correlation between sleep apnea and AFib, many clinicians recommend that you be screened for OSA if you have an AFib diagnosis.This is especially true if you have any of the above risk factors.

Sleep apnea and AFib can also lead to some of the same negative health outcomes, especially if left untreated. 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.

How Many People Have Both Sleep Apnea and AFib?

Some estimates suggest that around half of people who have OSA also have AFib.

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.

The signs and symptoms of sleep apnea may include:

The only way to definitively diagnose someone with sleep apnea is with an overnight sleep study, which is also calledpolysomnography. A sleep study measures your breathing rate, leg and eye movements, heart rate and rhythms, oxygen levels, and brain waves while you rest.

A sleep specialist can use this data to determine yourapnea-hypopnea index(AHI), which measures how many breathing interruptions experienced per hour. Your AHI will determine whether you have mild, moderate, or severe sleep apnea.

What Is an Overnight Sleep Study (Polysomnogram)?

AFib is usually diagnosed when a healthcare provider notices a completely irregular, often rapid, heart rate. This diagnosis can be confirmed with an electrocardiogram (ECG), which measures your heart rhythms and electrical activity using sensors attached to your skin.

Healthcare providers often classify AFib into various clinical patterns, which may affect the choice of treatment. These classifications include:

Signs and Symptoms of AFibMany people with AFib experience no symptoms at all. Others may experience some of the following signs and symptoms:FatigueShortness of breathA thumping, fluttering, or quivering feeling in the chestChest painFast and/or irregular heartbeatWeakness, dizziness, or confusionExcessive sweating

Signs and Symptoms of AFib

Many people with AFib experience no symptoms at all. Others may experience some of the following signs and symptoms:FatigueShortness of breathA thumping, fluttering, or quivering feeling in the chestChest painFast and/or irregular heartbeatWeakness, dizziness, or confusionExcessive sweating

Many people with AFib experience no symptoms at all. Others may experience some of the following signs and symptoms:

The first choice of treatment for OSA is positive airway pressure (PAP) treatment, which involves pumping pressurized air into the airways through a mask placed over the nose or nose and mouth during sleep.

Usually, this is done with a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device.If you have sleep apnea, regular use of aCPAP devicecan reduce the risk of AFib.

There are several different possible treatments for AFib, including:

If you have both OSA and AFib, it’s important to treat both conditions at the same time. Among people with OSA, the risk of developing recurrent AFib is higher after catheter ablation. Some studies show that regular use of a CPAP device as prescribed can lower the risk of recurrent AFib in people with sleep apnea.

Because sleep apnea and AFib share several risk factors, it can also help to make certain lifestyle changes in order to prevent and manage both conditions.These may include:

How Does a CPAP Machine Work to Treat Sleep Apnea?

Summary

Sleep apnea is a medical condition that causes intermittent breathing interruptions during sleep. The most common type is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). OSA can be diagnosed with an overnight sleep study.Atrial fibrillation(AFib) is a common type of heart arrhythmia. 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.

A Word From Verywell

Treating obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with regular use of a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine during sleep reduces the risk of AFib recurrence.

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.Improving lifestyle factors, such as losing weight, exercising regularly, avoiding excessive alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and managing stress, can also help treat AFib symptoms.

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.

Improving lifestyle factors, such as losing weight, exercising regularly, avoiding excessive alcohol intake, quitting smoking, and managing stress, can also help treat AFib symptoms.

Sleep apnea is a chronic condition, which means it is not curable. However, the symptoms of sleep apnea can be well managed with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy.

13 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.American Heart Association.What is atrial fibrillation?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.Tung P, Anter E.Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea: considerations for a dual epidemic.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;8(6):1283. doi:10.4022/jafib.1283Goyal SK, Sharma A.Atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea.World J Cardiol. 2013;5(6):157-163. doi:10.4330/wjc.v5.i6.157University of Michigan Health.Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation: can sleep apnea cause AFIB?American Sleep Apnea Association.Sleep apnea information for clinicians.Loyola Medicine.Atrial fibrillation: what you need to know.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea.MedlinePlus.Sleep study.NHS.Electrocardiogram.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.Understanding PAP.

13 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.American Heart Association.What is atrial fibrillation?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.Tung P, Anter E.Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea: considerations for a dual epidemic.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;8(6):1283. doi:10.4022/jafib.1283Goyal SK, Sharma A.Atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea.World J Cardiol. 2013;5(6):157-163. doi:10.4330/wjc.v5.i6.157University of Michigan Health.Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation: can sleep apnea cause AFIB?American Sleep Apnea Association.Sleep apnea information for clinicians.Loyola Medicine.Atrial fibrillation: what you need to know.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea.MedlinePlus.Sleep study.NHS.Electrocardiogram.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.Understanding PAP.

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.American Heart Association.What is atrial fibrillation?Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.Tung P, Anter E.Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea: considerations for a dual epidemic.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;8(6):1283. doi:10.4022/jafib.1283Goyal SK, Sharma A.Atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea.World J Cardiol. 2013;5(6):157-163. doi:10.4330/wjc.v5.i6.157University of Michigan Health.Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation: can sleep apnea cause AFIB?American Sleep Apnea Association.Sleep apnea information for clinicians.Loyola Medicine.Atrial fibrillation: what you need to know.National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea.MedlinePlus.Sleep study.NHS.Electrocardiogram.American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.Understanding PAP.

MedlinePlus.Sleep apnea.

American Heart Association.What is atrial fibrillation?

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Atrial fibrillation.

Tung P, Anter E.Atrial fibrillation and sleep apnea: considerations for a dual epidemic.J Atr Fibrillation. 2016;8(6):1283. doi:10.4022/jafib.1283

Goyal SK, Sharma A.Atrial fibrillation in obstructive sleep apnea.World J Cardiol. 2013;5(6):157-163. doi:10.4330/wjc.v5.i6.157

University of Michigan Health.Sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation: can sleep apnea cause AFIB?

American Sleep Apnea Association.Sleep apnea information for clinicians.

Loyola Medicine.Atrial fibrillation: what you need to know.

National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute.Sleep apnea.

MedlinePlus.Sleep study.

NHS.Electrocardiogram.

American Heart Association.What are the symptoms of atrial fibrillation?

Harvard Medical School Division of Sleep Medicine.Understanding PAP.

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