The information on this website is not intended for diagnosis or treatment. Please consult your physician for health concerns.

+90 850 321 50 00

Cheyne-Stokes Respiration

Periodic breathing pattern with crescendo-decrescendo respirations and central apneas.

Written by: Saygı Hospital Health Guide Editorial Board
Published:

This content is for general information; please consult your physician for diagnosis and treatment.

This content is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. You can book an appointment at our Göğüs Hastalıkları department. Book Appointment →

What is Cheyne-Stokes Respiration?

Cheyne-Stokes respiration is a periodic breathing pattern characterized by gradually increasing and decreasing tidal volumes separated by central apneas or hypopneas, reflecting unstable ventilatory control.

It is most often associated with advanced left heart failure but also seen after stroke, in chronic kidney disease and at high altitude, and contributes to sleep fragmentation, hypoxemia and sympathetic activation.

Diagnosis is confirmed by polysomnography or cardiopulmonary monitoring; treatment focuses on optimizing the underlying disease and selective use of positive airway pressure therapy.

Symptoms

Witnessed pauses in breathing during sleep
Loud arousals with gasping
Excessive daytime sleepiness
Restless and unrefreshing sleep
Morning headache
Nocturnal dyspnea
Worsening heart failure symptoms

Risk Factors

Advanced heart failure with reduced ejection fraction
Atrial fibrillation
Recent stroke
Chronic kidney disease
High altitude exposure
Opioid use
Older age and male sex

When to See a Doctor?

If you experience any of the following symptoms, seek medical attention promptly:

  • Witnessed apneas with cardiovascular disease
  • Worsening heart failure with sleep symptoms
  • Severe daytime sleepiness
  • New nocturnal arrhythmia
  • Refractory hypertension
  • Recurrent fluid overload despite therapy
  • Suspected sleep-disordered breathing in chronic disease

Treatment Methods

01
Polysomnography or cardiopulmonary sleep study
02
Optimization of heart failure therapy including diuretics and neurohormonal blockade
03
Treatment of underlying neurologic or renal disease
04
Adaptive servo-ventilation in selected patients with caution in severe systolic dysfunction
05
Continuous positive airway pressure in some cases
06
Nocturnal oxygen for severe hypoxemia
07
Long-term follow-up with cardiology and sleep medicine

Which Department to Visit?

You can visit our Göğüs Hastalıkları department for these complaints. Our specialist physicians will create the most suitable treatment plan for you.

Learn About Göğüs Hastalıkları Department

Let us help you

You can make an appointment with our specialists or contact us for your concerns.

Book AppointmentContact Us

Related Health Topics

Other articles from the same department you may want to explore.

Asthma

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Asthma is characterized by wheezing, coughing and shortness of breath attacks; with proper treatment it can be kept under control.

COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease)

Göğüs Hastalıkları

COPD is an irreversible lung disease characterized by shortness of breath and chronic cough; quitting smoking slows its progression.

Pneumonia

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Pneumonia presents with high fever, cough and shortness of breath; the vast majority recover with appropriate antibiotic treatment.

Tuberculosis (TB)

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Tuberculosis presents with weeks-to-months of cough, fever, and night sweats; early diagnosis and treatment lead to full recovery.

Pleural Effusion

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Pleural effusion is the accumulation of excess fluid in the pleural space, resulting from imbalances in fluid production and removal, and represents a manifestation of diverse cardiopulmonary, infectious, and malignant disorders.

Pneumothorax

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Pneumothorax is the presence of air in the pleural space resulting in partial or complete lung collapse, classified as spontaneous (primary/secondary), traumatic, or iatrogenic, with tension pneumothorax representing a life-threatening emergency.

Bronchitis (Acute and Chronic)

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Acute bronchitis is mostly viral and resolves spontaneously, while chronic bronchitis is a smoking-related component of COPD.

Bronchiectasis

Göğüs Hastalıkları

Bronchiectasis is a chronic respiratory disease characterized by permanent, abnormal dilation of bronchi with associated destruction of muscular and elastic components of airway walls, resulting in impaired mucociliary clearance and recurrent infection.

Health Disclaimer: The information on this page is prepared for general informational purposes only. It does not replace medical diagnosis and treatment. Please consult your physician for your complaints. Saygı Hospital does not accept responsibility for actions taken based on the information on this page.