Positionspapier „Schlafmedizin in der Kardiologie“, Update 2021

Various novelties have emerged since the last update of the position paper on sleep medicine in cardiology of the German Cardiac Society in 2014, which is why this revision became necessary. This new version not only includes all new studies available up to the date of printing, including references, updates on pathophysiology, diagnostics, and treatment recommendations but also constitutes outlooks towards novel developments and future scientific projects in this field. This revised position paper provides not only recommendations on diagnostics and treatment for cardiovascular patients with sleep-disordered breathing but also provides an overview of available treatment and evidence. In addition, it provides advice on interactions with comorbidities and in particular includes revised statements on sleep-disordered breathing in patients with coronary artery disease, heart failure, arterial hypertension and atrial fibrillation. Moreover, for the first time this position paper comprises recommendations for telemedicine as an individual novel chapter. This position paper supplies cardiologists as well as all physicians treating patients with cardiovascular diseases options for evidence-based medicine for treatment of the combination of cardiovascular disease in context with the growing attention towards the comorbidity of sleep-disordered breathing. If nothing else, this position paper implicates close interaction with the novel curriculum “sleep medicine” of the German Cardiac Society, facilitating orientation on the newly acquired capabilities through completion of the curriculum to fully handle the diagnostics and treatment of cardiovascular patients with sleep-disordered breathing.