Prevalence of ischemic heart disease among patients with sleep apnea syndrome.

We investigated the prevalence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) in sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) and the presence of coronary risk factors involved in the onset of IHD in 386 subjects with suspected SAS due to heavy snoring. The prevalence of IHD among patients with untreated SAS was found to be 23.8%, and the percentage of patients having SAS complicated with IHD was high among those with moderate or severe SAS. Sleep apnea syndrome patients with IHD also showed high prevalences of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. It appears that sleep apnea aggravates the factors that cause coronary vascular disorders, and is involved in the onset of IHD.