Sleep disorders and stroke.

The purpose of this review is to highlight existing literature on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatments of stroke sleep disorders. Stroke sleep disorders are associated with many intermediary vascular risk factors leading to stroke, but they may also influence these risk factors through direct or indirect mechanisms. Sleep disturbances may be further exacerbated by stroke or caused by stroke. Unrecognized and untreated sleep disorders may influence rehabilitation efforts and poor functional outcomes following stroke and increase risk for stroke recurrence. Increasing awareness and improving screening for sleep disorders is paramount in the primary and secondary prevention of stroke and in improving stroke outcomes. Many vital questions about the relationship of sleep disorders and stroke are still unanswered and await future well-designed studies.