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Insomnia and chronic heart failure

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Abstract

Insomnia is highly prevalent in patients with chronic disease including chronic heart failure (CHF) and is a significant contributing factor to fatigue and poor quality of life. The pathophysiology of CHF often leads to fatigue, due to nocturnal symptoms causing sleep disruption, including cough, orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, and nocturia. Inadequate cardiac function may lead to hypoxemia or poor perfusion of the cerebrum, skeletal muscle, or visceral body organs, which result in organ dysfunction or failure and may contribute to fatigue. Sleep disturbances negatively affect all dimensions of quality of life and is related to increased risk of comorbidities, including depression. This article reviews insomnia in CHF, cardiac medication side-effects related to sleep disturbances, and treatment options.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departments of Pediatrics and Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky College of Medicine J410 Kentucky Clinic, 740 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY 40536, USA

    Don Hayes Jr & Michael I. Anstead

  2. Department of Pharmacy, University of Kentucky HealthCare, 800 Rose Street, H-110, Lexington, KY, 40536-0293, USA

    Julia Ho

  3. Department of Internal Medicine, University of Kentucky, Samaritan Sleep Center, 310 South Limestone Street, Lexington, KY, 40508, USA

    Barbara A. Phillips

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  1. Don Hayes Jr
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Correspondence to Don Hayes Jr.

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Hayes, D., Anstead, M.I., Ho, J. et al. Insomnia and chronic heart failure. Heart Fail Rev 14, 171–182 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10741-008-9102-1

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