Effect of Obstructive Sleep Apnea on Mitral Valve Tenting

Obstructive apneas produce high negative intrathoracic pressure that imposes an afterload burden on the left ventricle. Such episodes might produce structural changes in the left ventricle over time. Doppler echocardiograms were obtained within 2 months of attended polysomnography. Patients were grouped according to apnea-hypopnea index (AHI): mild/no obstructive sleep apnea (OSA; AHI <15) and moderate/severe OSA (AHI ≥15). Mitral valve tenting...