Background The aim of this study was to explore the underlying impact of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on postoperative parameters of multi-organ function, including cardiac and cerebral vascular, respiratory as well as renal postoperative complications, among coronary heart disease (CHD) patients following elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods Electronic literature databases, including PubMed, ISI Web of Science, Directory of Open Access Journals, and the Cochrane Library electronic databases, were searched manually and automatically for relevant English articles. All of the selected articles focused on a comparison of the incidence of primary and secondary outcomes in CHD patients undergoing elective CABG with and without OSA. Results A total of 13 articles met our inclusion criteria. The current study demonstrated OSA significantly increased the incidence of major adverse cardiac and cerebrovascular events (MACCEs) in CHD patients undergoing elective CABG compared with the controls (odds risk (OR), 1.97; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.50 to 2.59, p <0.0001). In addition, OSA was associated with an increased risk of new revascularization in CHD patients undergoing elective CABG (OR, 9.47; 95% CI, 2.69 to 33.33, p <0.0001). Moreover, reintubation and tracheostomy in the OSA group was increased (OR, 3.43; 95% CI, 1.35 to 8.71; p =0.009) and 372% (OR, 4.72; 95% CI, 1.23 to 18.13; p=0.024), respectively, compared with the control group. Besides, we also confirmed OSA significantly increased the acute kidney injury (AKI) incidence by 124% (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.07 to 4.72; P < 0.0001). Finally, our results demonstrated that OSA increased medical resource utilization including length of postoperative hospital stay and ICU stay. Conclusions OSA may contribute to postoperative multi-organ dysfunction among CHD patients undergoing elective CABG by increasing the incidence of MACCEs, especially new revascularization, as well as respiratory, and renal complications. Peri- and postoperative management of CHD patients with OSA may be optimized to minimize the rate of postoperative parameters of multi-organ dysfunction, further reducing the consumption of limited medical resources.