Stroke and obstructive sleep apnea: a review.

Overview

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has been found to be an independent risk factor for stroke in large epidemiological studies. The mechanisms underlying this relationship have been investigated over the past 2-3 decades, with a particular focus on identifying pathophysiological pathways and risk modification strategies. Despite the advancements made, the specific understanding of the implicated mechanisms is still limited. This brief review focuses on presenting some of the epidemiological evidence of the linkage between OSA and stroke, discussing mechanistic pathways and the potential effect of OSA treatment in modulating the risk for stroke in these patients. Future directions for research in this field are also discussed.