Screening for sleep-disordered breathing is recommended in patients with chronic heart failure.

The Canadian Continuous Positive Airway Pressure for Patients with Central Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure (CANPAP) trial was the first study to assess the effect of CPAP therapy in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and predominantly central sleep apnoea (CSA) on mortality [2]. Unfortunately, this study failed to demonstrate a prognostic benefit. However, there is ongoing debate as to how to interpret the CANPAP trial results, but there might be a consensus that CPAP cannot be recommended for all CHF patients with CSA as performed in this trial. There is no question that more evidence is needed as to how to treat SDB in patients with CHF. Several small studies have shown beneficial effects of oxygen, CPAP or ASV on parameters of SDB and/or CHF, but studies on mortality are pending. It seems likely that therapeutic approaches should be tailored to different types and severities of SDB (obstructive, central or mixed), and results may be dependent upon SDB and CHF severity.