Sleep Disordered Breathing and Exercise in Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

Exercise intolerance is a common feature of many cardiopulmonary diseases including pulmonary hypertension (PH) and sleep disordered breathing (SDB), which includes obstructive sleep apnea and obesity hypoventilation syndrome. Physiologic abnormalities in both PH and SDB can drive exercise intolerance, and biological mechanisms overlap among the conditions including systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, metabolic dysfunction, and endothelial dysfunction. Despite this understanding, evidence establishing clear causal relationships among PH, SDB, and exercise intolerance is lacking. Data show that treatment of SDB may improve exercise capacity, and exercise training likely improves SDB, although these relationships specifically in PH remain understudied. In this manuscript, we summarize existing data of mechanisms and clinical observations in PH, SDB and exercise and identify gaps and opportunities for future investigation.