Obstructive sleep apnoea: from respiratory events to coronary microvascular dysfunction.

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is an emerging and independent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases; coronary artery disease (CAD) is higher in OSA patients, even in the absence of other traditional cardiovascular risk factors. There is little evidence to show abnormalities in coronary blood flow (CBF) and disorders in coronary vascular resistance (CVR), occurring during the obstructive respiratory event, suggesting coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) as a potential mechanism of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) OSA-as a related consequence.