Apnea and Periodic Breathing during Sleep

In this issue of the Journal, Javaheri reports on his ongoing studies of periodic breathing during sleep in patients with congestive heart failure.1 Since breathing is usually regular, periodic breathing, with its clusters of breaths separated by intervals of apnea or near-apnea, has fascinated physicians for years.2,3 The pattern of periodic breathing can vary considerably. Cheyne–Stokes respiration is characterized by rhythmic rises and falls in tidal volume and breathing frequency and is usually observed in patients with congestive heart failure.At first, periodic breathing, regardless of the type, was thought to indicate a poor prognosis and to arise from . . .