Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension and Sleep

This article discusses the causes, symptoms, effects, evaluation, and treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. It critically reviews the literature concerning its relationship to hypoxia, pulmonary circulation, obstructive sleep apnea, pulmonary hypertension, and overlap syndrome. It points out the need for evaluation of patients with persistent hypoxia or post-treatment symptoms for pulmonary arterial hypertension. Also, it notes that patients with underlying lung disease may not benefit from the standard treatment. It concludes that future studies need to define these conditions and to evaluate patients systematically and using standardized criteria.