Obstructive Sleep Apnea among Individuals Admitted for Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Background and Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common respiratory disorder during sleep and a risk factor for myocardial ischemia. In this study, we evaluated the proportion of subjects at high risk for OSA and prevalence of its predictors among patients admitted for acute myocardial infarction (MI). Materials and Methods: A total of 210 patients with MI admitted at the cardiac care unit of Baharloo Hospital, Tehran, Iran were enrolled in this study. The STOP-BANG questionnaire was used for diagnosing high- risk patients of OSA. Anthropometric and demographic characteristics, family and personal history, results of biochemical tests, and the time of the onset of MI in patients were recorded. Results: Based on the STOP-BANG questionnaire, 112 patients (53.3%) were at high risk for OSA. The lev- el of fasting blood sugar (FBS) was significantly higher in high-risk patients for OSA. Regression analysis showed that FBS could be a predictor of OSA in patients with MI (P value: 0.005). From midnight to 5:59, the frequency of the onset of MI was significantly higher in patients at high risk for OSA compared with those at low risk (42% vs. 16.3%, P <0.001). Conclusions: OSA is a prevalent disorder in patients with MI. Looking for signs and symptoms of OSA should be considered in clinical assessment of MI patients.

Keywords

• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Myocardial infarction
• Day-night variation