ObjectivesStimulant medications are indicated in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who experience sleepiness despite optimal control of sleep-disordered breathing. The safety of stimulant medications in patients with OSA and co-morbid cardiomyopathy is unknown. We performed a case-control study to assess cardiovascular outcomes and mortality risk associated with stimulant use in this group of patients. MethodsA total of 162 subjects with OSA and cardiomyopathy were identified. Subjects who used stimulant medications for ≥1 month were designated as cases. Age-and-sex-matched controls not taking these medications were randomly chosen from the same cohort. Outcomes assessed were mortality, implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) and pacemaker insertion. ResultsTwenty-two cases and 44 controls were included in the analyses. Mean age was 62.6 ± 15 years, 72% were male. Median duration of medication use was 27 months (range 1–98). There were four deaths among cases versus eight among controls. Four cases had a pacemaker and six had an ICD inserted, compared to six and eight respectively in the control group.Age (p = 0.01) and positive airway pressure (PAP) compliance (p = 0.01), but not stimulant medication use (p = 1.00) were associated with mortality on univariate analysis. In multiple logistic regression analyses accounting for body mass index, apnea–hypopnea index/respiratory disturbance index, PAP compliance, ejection fraction and duration of follow up, use of stimulant medication was not associated with mortality (p = 0.50), pacemaker (p = 0.20) or ICD (p = 0.90) implantation. ConclusionsStimulant medications were not associated with elevated risk of mortality, pacemaker or ICD implantation in this case-control study, even after accounting for multiple confounders.