Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have received a $3.8 million federal grant to study the link between sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation.
The five-year grant from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute will enable researchers to study how sleep apnea produces functional and structural changes in the heart that could contribute to the development of atrial fibrillation, the most common type of irregular heart rhythm, according to a statement from Case.
Case researchers have previously established a strong association between sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation, but the research did not include information that characterized changes in heart structure. The aim of the new research is to gather more specific data obtained by examining images of the heart that detail its pumping function and the condition of its walls, according to the statement.
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“The data generated from the research will fuel the development of new approaches for prevention and treatment of atrial fibrillation, and will help identify key factors for future clinical trials,” said Dr. Reena Mehra, the study’s principal investigator and an associate professor of medicine at Case.
Sleep apnea results in intermittent lowering of oxygen levels, alteration of nervous system function and pressure changes within the chest, causing changes in the heart. Some or all of these factors may increase the likelihood of atrial fibrillation, Mehra said.