Hours of Sleep and Myocardial Infarction Risk

This is one of the first studies to prospectively assess this association, and its outcomes support the idea that poor sleep is a potential MI risk factor. 

Even though we need further data to be able to modify the current sleep duration standards as part of life-style change recommendations, it seems reasonable to start bearing this in mind.

Prior observational studies have associated extremes of sleep duration (both little and too much sleep) with MI risk, but confounders have made it hard to reach a definite conclusion. 

This study assessed 461347 participants free of heart disease, classified into three groups according to reported average sleep duration (short sleep <6 hours, between 6 and 9 hours and long sleep >9 hours). Multiple confounders were assessed, even a genetic disposition for heart disease. 

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Compared against individuals sleeping between 6 and 9 hours, those reporting short sleep had 20% higher MI risk after adjusting for multiple variables (HR: 1.20; CI 95%: 1.07 to 1.33) and those reporting long sleep had 34% higher risk of MI (HR: 1.34; CI 95%: 1.13 to 1.58).

Conclusion

This prospective study looking at sleep duration and MI risk showed a significant association between the two in people sleeping both short and long hours. More data are needed for us to be able to make recommendations to patients as part of a prevention strategy.

Original title: Sleep Duration and Myocardial Infarction.

Reference: Iyas Daghlas et al. J Am Coll Cardiol 2019;74:1304–14.

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