Abstract
Cardiovascular diseases leading to pacemaker implantations are suspected of being associated with a high rate of undiagnosed sleep apnea syndrome (SAS). The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of SAS in patients with permanent pacemakers. Cross sectional study in patients presenting to Pacemaker control, between March and October 2018. All underwent Epworth Sleepiness Scale assessment and polysomnography with the pacemaker programmed to right ventricular DDI pacing mode (lower pacing rate, 50 pulses per minute). SAS was defined as an apnea-hypopnea index ≥ 5 h. Fifty-four consecutive patients (mean age, 68 ± 11 years) not known to have sleep apnea were included; 44 patients were paced for high-degree atrioventricular block (83%), and 10 for sinus node disease (37%). Mean Epworth Sleepiness Scale was in the normal range (8 ± 4), although 13 patients (25%) had an abnormal score > 11/h. Thirty-three patients (61%) had SAS; of these, 14 (26%) had a severe SAS (apnea-hypopnea index > 30/h). In paced patients, there is an excessively high prevalence of undiagnosed SAS. Whether treating SAS would have changed the need for pacing is unknown.
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