21 Jun AHA Scientific Statement Highlights Link Between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease
MedicalResearch.com Interview with:
Dr. Yeghiazarians
Yerem Yeghiazarians, MD
Professor of Medicine
Leone-Perkins Family Endowed Chair in Cardiology
San Francisco Board Past-President, American Heart Association
Co-Director, Adult Cardiac Catheterization Laboratory
Director, Peripheral Interventional Cardiology Program
Director, Translational Cardiac Stem Cell Program
Cardiovascular Research Institute
Eli and Edythe Broad Center of Regeneration Medicine and Stem Cell Research
Associate Member in Experimental Therapeutics, UCSF Helen Diller Cancer Center
University of California, San Francisco
MedicalResearch.com: What is the background for this study?
Response: Obstructive sleep apnea is very common, undiagnosed and undertreated. The AHA Scientific Statement was prepared to increase awareness amongst physicians and patients about this condition and to encourage more screening and therapy as appropriate.
Obesity is certainly one of the significant risk factors for sleep apnea and we highlight this in the Scientific Statement:
“The risk of OSA correlates with body mass index, and obesity remains the one major modifiable
risk factor for OSA. In a population-based cohort study of 690 subjects, a 10% weight gain was associated with nearly 32% increase in the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), and even modest weight control was effective in reducing the new occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing. An even stronger correlation exists between OSA and increased waist circumference and neck size.
Neck sizes predisposing to OSA are usually >17 and 16 in for men and women, respectively.”
MedicalResearch.com: What are the main findings?
Response: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with numerous cardiovascular complications including hypertension, arrhythmias such as atrial fibrillation, pulmonary hypertension and others conditions. The AHA Scientific Statement highlights the risk factors, symptoms, diagnostic modalities and treatment options of OSA. Treatment of sleep apnea has been associated with improved mood, less snoring, improved quality of life, less daytime sleepiness and increased work productivity. There is significant correlation between the hours of CPAP use and improved outcomes.
MedicalResearch.com: What should readers take away from your report?
Response: Obstructive sleep apnea is very common and can impact a patient’s health negatively. It is associated with numerous cardiovascular complications. The AHA Statement outlines recommendations for screening and the hope is that this Scientific Statement will increase awareness about this condition. About 34% of men and 17% of women have OSA. The prevalence of OSA in patient with cardiovascular conditions is 40-80%. Patients can now be screened for OSA using a home sleep study kit if they choose not to go to a sleep center for testing. Also, since some patients refuse to wear the CPAP mask and/or are not tolerant of CPAP, there are alternate option of therapy such as an oral appliance, weight loss, positional therapy, lifestyle interventions, or other surgical methods that might be applicable for a given patient.
MedicalResearch.com: What recommendations do you have for future research as a result of this work?
Response: The AHA Scientific Statement highlights ongoing areas and future directions including remote monitoring for Obstructive sleep apnea .
No disclosures
Citation:
Yerem Yeghiazarians, MD, FAHA, Chair, Hani Jneid, MD, FAHA, Vice Chair, Jeremy R. Tietjens, MD, Susan Redline, MD, Devin L. Brown, MD, MS, FAHA, Nabil El-Sherif, MD, Reena Mehra, MD, Biykem Bozkurt, MD, PhD, FAHA, Chiadi Ericson Ndumele, MD, PhD, FAHA, Virend K. Somers, MD, PhD, FAHA, on behalf of the American Heart Association Council on Clinical Cardiology; Council on Peripheral Vascular Disease; Council on Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology; Council on Cardiopulmonary, Critical Care, Perioperative and Resuscitation; Stroke Council; and Council on Cardiovascular Surgery and Anesthesia
Originally published21 Jun 2021 https://doi.org/10.1161/CIR.0000000000000988
Circulation. ;0:CIR.0000000000000988
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Last Updated on June 21, 2021 by Marie Benz MD FAAD