Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for coronary events or cardiovascular death (original) (raw)

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to determine whether obstructive sleep apnea independently increases the risk of coronary events, including death from cardiovascular causes.

Methods

We conducted an observational cohort study among consecutive patients ≥50 years of age who were referred during 1997–2001 to the Yale Center for Sleep Medicine for suspected sleep-disordered breathing and were followed longitudinally for subsequent coronary events or cardiovascular death. Each study participant underwent an overnight polysomnography; obstructive sleep apnea was defined as an apnea–hypopnea index ≥5/h. The composite outcome during a mean duration of follow-up of 2.9 years was myocardial infarction, coronary artery revascularization procedures (angioplasty, stent placement, or coronary artery bypass graft surgery), or death from cardiovascular causes.

Results

Among 1,436 enrolled patients, 1,024 (71%) had an apnea–hypopnea index ≥5/h. In an unadjusted analysis, obstructive sleep apnea was associated with an increased risk of coronary events or cardiovascular death (hazard ration (HR) 2.57, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.39–4.72, P = 0.003). After adjustment for traditional cardiovascular risk factors (including body mass index and hypertension), obstructive sleep apnea retained a statistically significant association with this composite outcome (HR 2.06, 95% CI 1.10–3.86, P = 0.024).

Conclusion

Obstructive sleep apnea increases the risk of coronary events or death from cardiovascular causes.

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Sources of support

National Research Service Award Institutional Research Training Grant from the National Institutes of Health (T32 HL00778-12), Yale Center for Sleep Medicine, Career Development Award from the Veterans Affairs Health Services Research and Development Service

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Yale Center for Sleep Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
    Neomi A. Shah, Henry Klar Yaggi & Vahid Mohsenin
  2. Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, 300 Cedar Street, TAC-441 South, P.O. Box 208057, New Haven, CT, 06520-8057, USA
    Neomi A. Shah, Henry Klar Yaggi & Vahid Mohsenin
  3. General Internal Medicine, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA
    John Concato
  4. Clinical Epidemiology Research Center, Veterans Affairs Connecticut Healthcare System, West Haven, CT, USA
    Henry Klar Yaggi & John Concato

Authors

  1. Neomi A. Shah
  2. Henry Klar Yaggi
  3. John Concato
  4. Vahid Mohsenin

Corresponding author

Correspondence toHenry Klar Yaggi.

Additional information

Dr. Henry Klar Yaggi and Dr. Neomi A. Shah contributed equally to this study and manuscript.

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Shah, N.A., Yaggi, H.K., Concato, J. et al. Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for coronary events or cardiovascular death.Sleep Breath 14, 131–136 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-009-0298-7

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