Sleep breathing disorders such as apneas and hypopneas and insufficient ventilation during sleep have shown a relationship to the worsening of cardiovascular disease (CVD). While abnormal respiratory patterns affect up to a quarter of middle-aged and older adults, those with CVD have significantly higher incidences of sleep breathing disturbances, and that correlation that shouldn’t be ignored.

Sleep breathing disturbances can have concerning effects on cardiac health. Short term, apneas can cause hypoxemia and hypercapnia, shifts in intrathoracic pressure and micro-arousals. Long term, individuals can develop hypertension, atrial fibrillation, myocardial infarction, stroke, heart failure, and even cognitive decline. Increasingly, experts have been recommending that patients with CVD also be screened for sleep disturbances early within their treatment process, but many patients and clinicians hesitate to do this, because the test considered the gold standard is expensive and unwieldy.

CardioVisual and Itamar Medical announced a digital education partnership this week to educate cardiovascular patients and physicians on the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea to improve outcomes for patients with cardiovascular disease. CV will feature video content on the importance of diagnosing and treating sleep apnea. Itamar Medical has developed an apnea monitoring device that can be used in a patient’s home, easily and inexpensively, called the Watch PAT home sleep apnea testing device. Itamar’s Watch PAT Sleep Monitoring Device is cost-effective and easy to use. Because it is used in the patient’s home, it’s able to provide a more representative assessment of sleep patterns. The device is worn on the wrist, with an attached biosensor that can be worn on any finger. Both Itamar Medical and CardioVisual hope the partnership help improve long term outcomes for cardiovascular patients who unknowingly suffer from sleep apnea.