Patent foramen ovale and obstructive sleep apnea: a new association?

Edmund M T Lau; Brendon J Yee; Ronald R Grunstein; David S Celermajer

doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2010.02.002

Patent foramen ovale and obstructive sleep apnea: a new association?

Sleep Med Rev. 2010 Dec;14(6):391-5. doi: 10.1016/j.smrv.2010.02.002. Epub 2010 May 7.

Authors

Edmund M T Lau¹, Brendon J Yee, Ronald R Grunstein, David S Celermajer

Affiliation

¹ Department of Respiratory and Sleep Medicine, Royal Prince Alfred Hospital, Camperdown NSW 2050, Australia. emtlau@bigpond.com

PMID: 20451427
DOI: 10.1016/j.smrv.2010.02.002

Abstract

Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common congenital cardiac defect of the atrial septal wall affecting up to 25% of the population. PFO has received much clinical interest because it has been implicated in disease states such as stroke, migraine and decompression illness. More recently, there has been emerging evidence to support a clinically important relationship between PFO and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Furthermore, minimally invasive percutaneous techniques are now available for closure of PFO. We will review the current state of knowledge in the relationship between PFO and OSA, with emphasis on the pathophysiological interactions and clinical implications of this association.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cerebrovascular Circulation
Comorbidity
Echocardiography, Transesophageal
Foramen Ovale, Patent / diagnostic imaging
Foramen Ovale, Patent / epidemiology*
Foramen Ovale, Patent / therapy
Humans
Risk Factors
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / diagnostic imaging
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / epidemiology*
Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / therapy
Wakefulness*