Sleep apnea after stroke: A novel target

Abstract

Sleep apnea is an independent risk factor for cerebrovascular diseases. Its prevalence in stroke survivors is high and the disorder negatively affects patients' outcomes. Despite the importance of sleep apnea assessment is highlighted also in the current guidelines, a high proportion of patients remain undiagnosed and lose the potential benefit of positive airway pressure treatment. The current paper describes links between sleep apnea and stroke. It focuses on the challenges of the diagnostic and therapeutical process and provides a brief insight into ongoing trials that could help to identify appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic approaches, their timing, and the patient population for whom treatment could be most beneficial.

Keywords: Positive airway pressure; Sleep apnea; Stroke.