Nocturnal Oxygen Treatment in Heart Failure and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

Nocturnal Oxygen Treatment in Heart Failure and Cheyne-Stokes Respiration. A Randomized Double-Blind Placebo Controlled Cross-Over Study

The purpose of this study is to determine whether oxygen therapy during sleep improves quality of life, exercise capacity and heart function among patients with chronic heart failure and central sleep apnea.

Oxygen therapy reduces the number of central apneas among patients with congestive heart failure but it is unknown whether quality of life and heart function also improve. We aim to test whether the quality of life, exercise capacity and heart function are improved with nocturnal oxygen therapy during 6 weeks with nocturnal oxygen from oxygen concentrator or nocturnal air from placebo concentrator.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Stable heart failure with left ventricular dysfunction
• Cheyne-Stokes respiration with central AHI>15 and obstructive AHI<5

Exclusion Criteria:

• Heart infarction within 3 months.
• Dementia
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and daytime hypoxemia.