Circulation and Sleep

Summary Sleep includes physiological changes of cardiovascular function. Characteristic changes in hemodynamic pattern occur during the different sleep stages. From this knowledge of physiological changes in sleep many pathophysiological findings have been investigated. The linkage between arterial hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea has been investigated by many epidemiological and experimental studies. Additionally, nocturnal brady- and tachycardia, cerebral and myocardial hypoperfllsion and heart failure during sleep are of clinical significance. This has to be taken into account for diagnostic and also therapeutic measures.