Occurrence of symptoms and risk factors for obstructive sleep apnea in patients examined for cardiac arrhythmias through Holter ECG monitoring

Czech version

Authors: E. Sovová ^1,3; M. Hobzová ²; Marek Sova ⁴; V. Kolek ²; I. Buriánková ¹; P. Zmeškal ¹
Authors‘ workplace: Fakultní nemocnice Olomouc a Lékařská fakulta Univerzity Palackého v Olomouci ; I. interní klinika Přednosta: doc. MUDr. Miloš Táborský, CSc., MBA ¹; Klinika plicních nemocí a tuberkulózy Přednosta: prof. MUDr. Vítězslav Kolek, DrSc. ²; Klinika tělovýchovného lékařství a kardiovaskulární rehabilitace Přednostka: doc. MUDr. Eliška Sovová, Ph. D., MBA ³; Lékařská fakulta Univerzity Palackého v Olomouci Děkan: prof. MUDr. Zdeněk Kolář, CSc. ⁴
Published in: Prakt. Lék. 2010; 90(8): 469-471
Category: Of different specialties

Overview

Aim:
Cardiac arrhythmias are more prevalent in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).

Very little data is currently available about the incidence of OSA in patients examined for cardiac arrhythmias. The aim of the study was to evaluate the incidence of symptoms and risk factors of OSAin patients examined for cardiac arrhythmias and to perform polysomnography in symptomatic patients.

Methods and results:
177 patients (82 males, 95 females) of average age 59.31 (59.79 for men and 59.31 for women) underwent Holter ECG monitoring for history of cardiac arrhythmias and filled out a simple questionnaire relating to symptoms and risk factors of OSA.After the first 100 patients were evaluated, the following 44 patients (19 male, 25 female) with more than 2 symptoms of OSA were referred for polysomnography.

Conclusion:
High prevalence of symptoms and risk factors of OSA have been confirmed: snoring in 70 patients (39 male) (39.54 %), apneas in 15 patients (9 male) (8.47 %), tiredness in 80 patients (30 male) (45.19 %), microsleep in 70 patients (27 male) (39.54 %). Only 12.99 % physicians asked patients about their sleep problems. Of the 44 patients referred for polysomnography only 14 patients (6 male) (31.81 %) turned up; OSA was confirmed in 3 patients (1 male) (21.4 % of those examined).

Key words:
obstructive sleep apnea, symptoms and risk factors, arrhythmias, Holter ECG monitoring.

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