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Obstructive sleep apnea and ischemic heart disease in southwestern US veterans: implications for clinical practice

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Abstract

This study describes associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), intake of food rich in antioxidant nutrients, and ischemic heart disease (IHD) in military veterans. Subjects were male veterans (n=211), 54 to 85 years of age, and enrolled in primary care clinics at the Southern Arizona Veterans Affairs Health Care System (SAVAHCS), Tucson, AZ. Measures included the SAVAHCS Minority Vascular Center Questionnaire, the Sleep Heart Health Study Sleep Habits Questionnaire, the Arizona Food Frequency Questionnaire, height, weight, and blood pressure. Veterans with OSA were significantly more likely to be obese, to have elevated systolic blood pressure and physician-diagnosed IHD, more likely to undergo coronary angiography, and less likely to consume foods rich in cardioprotective antioxidants compared to veterans without OSA. After adjusting for confounding variables, the association between OSA and IHD remains significant [adjusted OR=2.99, confidence interval (CI)=1.07–8.42]. These data reinforce the importance of recognizing OSA within the veterans affairs health care system and suggest that early detection of OSA may improve veterans' health and well-being and reduce associated medical costs.

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Acknowledgements

We wish to gratefully acknowledge the SAVAHCS Health Services Research and Development staff, study staff, librarians, and in particular, the study participants who made this research possible. Sincere appreciation is extended to Margaret Kurzius-Spencer, MPH, Research Specialist Senior, University of Arizona Respiratory Center, for her critical review and revisions of the manuscript.

This study was supported by a Department of Veterans Affairs VISN 18 Minority Vascular Center grant to Dr. Baldwin and Dr. Bell and, in part, Cooperative Agreement Supplement U01HL53938-07S1 from the National Institutes of Health National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute to Dr. Baldwin.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. College of Nursing, Arizona State University, Southwest Borderlands Initiative, Tempe, AZ, 85287-2602, USA

    Carol M. Baldwin

  2. Southern Arizona VA Health Care System, Research Service Line, Tucson, AZ, 85723, USA

    Carol M. Baldwin & Iris R. Bell

  3. Departments of Medicine, Psychology, Psychiatry, Surgery, Program in Integrative Medicine, and College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Iris R. Bell

  4. Department of Medicine, Arizona Respiratory Center, and College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Stefano Guerra

  5. Department of Medicine, Arizona Sleep and Respiratory Centers, and College of Public Health, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ, 85724, USA

    Stuart F. Quan

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  1. Carol M. Baldwin
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  2. Iris R. Bell
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  3. Stefano Guerra
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  4. Stuart F. Quan
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Correspondence to Carol M. Baldwin.

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Baldwin, C.M., Bell, I.R., Guerra, S. et al. Obstructive sleep apnea and ischemic heart disease in southwestern US veterans: implications for clinical practice. Sleep Breath 9, 111–118 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11325-005-0025-y

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