The effect of mean apnea duration on coronary artery disease in obstructive sleep apnea patients

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), a disease characterized by obstructive apnea, hypopnea, and/or respiratory effort during sleep, is associated with numerous cardiovascular, cerebrovascular, and metabolic comorbidities. Apnea/hypopnea attacks cause hypoxia, hypercapnia, and respiratory acidosis. Thereby setting the stage for systemic inflammation. Systemic inflammation leads to oxidative stress and plays a role in endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Oxidative stress is thought to play an important role in the emergence of comorbidities accompanying OSA. The Apnea-Hypopnea Index (AHI) is used to classify the severity of OSA numerically but it does not objectively show the duration and severity of hypoxia. This study aimed to reveal the effect of the mean apnea duration measured in polysomnography recordings on the development of coronary artery disease (CAD).