NIGHTTIME SLEEP AND CARDIOPULMONARY FUNCTION DURING RECOVERY FROM MYOCARDIAL INFARCTION.
Contributors: University of Washington.
Published: 1987
Number of pages: 183
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: Nighttime patterns of sleep, breathing, oxygenation, and cardiac rhythm were studied in 10 men, aged 49-65 years, who were 7-26 weeks past an uncomplicated first MI. They were in cardiovascular class I-II, generally within 25% of reference weight, and without other major health problems. Comparison data were obtained from an age matched sample of ten healthy men studied previously in the same laboratory.

Sleep stages were determined from standard recordings of the EEG, EOG, and EMG. Apneic activity was identified by measuring breathing movements with inductance plethysmography and oronasal airflow with themistors. Oxygen saturation was monitored by ear oximetry and cardiac rhythm by ECG. Health data were obtained by record review, interview, and physical examination and subjective sleep data by questionnaires. Group differences in second night data were evaluated with t-test and Mann-Whitney procedures and relationships between variables with correlations and descriptive analyses.

Sleep structure did not differ between the two groups with both having relatively high sleep efficiencies, similar sleep stage percentages, and short sleep latencies. In contrast, sleep continuity in the MI group was more disrupted by shifts to stage 1 or waking and the subjective sleep experience was more negative. The apnea-hypopnea index was unexpectedly higher in controls, with 40% having over 5 events/hour. Central apneas and hypopneas predominated in the MI group and obstructive apneas and hypopneas in controls. Desaturations below 90% and PVCs were relatively infrequent in both groups. Most desaturations in controls were related to apneic activity, while most in the MI group were not. PVCs were not associated with apneic activity or desaturations in either group. Apneic activity and desaturations occurred more often per hour of REM than NREM sleep, while PVCs were somewhat more common during nighttime wakefulness in the MI group and stage 2 in controls. Age, obesity, alcohol use, and infarct size were identified as possible risk factors for some aspects of sleep and cardiopulmonary disturbances. The findings suggested that men recovering from uncomplicated MIs had similar sleep structure but less sleep continuity than healthy controls and that the sleeping hours did not present undue cardiopulmonary stress.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 48-12, Section: B, page: 3531.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1987.

School code: 0250.