05 Dec Sleep Apnea Predicts Atrial Fibrillation after CABG

MedicalResearch.comInterview with:
Amro Qaddoura BHSc
Research Student of Adrian Baranchuk, MD
Department of Medicine, Queen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada

MedicalResearch: What is the background for this study? What are the main findings?

Response: This publication was a letter to the editor in response to comments on our recent systematic review and meta-analysis that showed obstructive sleep apnea to be a strong predictor of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). See the details in another interview: https://medicalresearch.com/heart-disease/sleep_apnea_increases_risk_of_atrial_fibrillation_after_bypass_surgery/8369/

The letter to the editor included an analysis not included in the initial publication, which provided more evidence that obstructive sleep apnea is a predictor of atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery.

As well, it elucidated the reasoning behind one of the analyses that we chose to conduct.

MedicalResearch: What should clinicians and patients take away from your report?

Response:  Healthcare specialists of multiple disciplines should equip themselves with the necessary tools and knowledge to be able to screen and diagnose obstructive sleep apnea.

For patients, it provides further incentive to report any sleep disturbances or snoring to their healthcare providers so that the patients can be optimally cared for and managed.

MedicalResearch: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this study?

Response:  Only one study that we are aware of investigated the association between severe obstructive sleep apnea and atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery. This provides an impetus to explore this association further.

As well, although the evidence to date indicates that obstructive sleep apnea is a risk factor for atrial fibrillation after CABG surgery, larger high-quality studies may help to confirm the findings of our review.

Citation:

Obstructive Sleep Apnea is a Risk Factor for Post Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Atrial Fibrillation
Qaddoura, Amro et al.
Canadian Journal of Cardiology , Volume 30 , Issue 12 , 1516 – 1522

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Last Updated on December 5, 2014 by Marie Benz MD FAAD