1. Cardiac Arrhythmias Caused by Sleep Deprivation due to Obstructive Sleep Apnea John P. Cemonuk, Jr., R.T. (R)(MR) April 25, 2009

2. Problem 1. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) effects 1 in 4 men and 1 in 10 women 2. OSA causes sleep deprivation and sleep fragmentation 3. OSA is thought to predispose to cardiac arrhythmias

3. ? Research Question ?  Are people who suffer from chronic sleep deprivation more prone to having cardiac arrhythmias than those who do not? apps.uwhealth.org/health/adam/hie/2/17218.htm www.physionet.org/physiobank/database/mitdb/

4. Methodology  Patients (aged 35-50) referred for polysomnography over a 4 week period were selected for study  After initial sleep study, patients were separated into 2 groups, normal patients and patients with sleep apnea  Normal patients received second study without treatment  Sleep Apnea patients received second study with CPAP treatment  All patients sleep studies were scored and ECG studied for pathologically significant arrhythmias (AV Block, ventricular tachycardia, complex ventricular ectopy)  Patients with pacemakers, defibrillators, a recent history of myocardial infarction, or cardiac surgery were excluded as well as those taking β-blockers  Results of normal and abnormal sleep studies were compared to determine if people with OSA, and therefore chronic sleep deprivation, have more arrhythmias than those who do not have OSA