Sleep Apnea Episodes May Trigger Irregular Heartbeat

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One important finding of the study was that these abnormal heart rhythms were not linked to the severity of a person's sleep apnea, Redline said. "The study did look to see whether more intense sleep apnea increased the risk of arrhythmias," she said. "In fact, most of the arrhythmias occurred in people with mild-to-moderate sleep apnea."

The researchers stressed that abnormal heartbeats were relatively rare, with sleep apnea increasing their incidence by one for every 40,000 breathing disturbances. But the potentially serious effect of those heartbeat errors requires alertness in detecting sleep apnea, Redline said.

Conversely, the study suggests that doctors should be alert for the possibility of sleep apnea in people who have heart rhythm abnormalities, Redline said. "Those who present with arrhythmias should be screened for apnea," she advised.

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For now, the study is more of scientific interest than immediate medical application, added study author Dr. Ken Monahan, an assistant professor of medicine. "It adds additional evidence to what was already suggested in the literature," he said.

It is important to note that the relationship established in the new study, "was built on the work of others," he said. "It raises a lot of very interesting questions about what the ultimate clinical applications of other findings may be."

More information

Find out more about sleep apnea at the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

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