Electrocardiography Data Analysis in Sleep Disorders

The objective of this study is to determine if a non-invasive technique, using an innovative analysis of electrocardiogram (ECG) data, would allow for detection of respiratory events during sleep and discrimination between central and obstructive apnea. Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) is the most common respiratory disturbance seen during sleep, with an estimated prevalence of 10 % in the population and is strongly associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. In patients with underlying cardiac disease, particularly in heart failure (HF), central respiratory events such as Cheyne-Stokes Respiration (CSR) are often seen during sleep. The presence of CSR is also associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Currently, the identification and classification of sleep related respiratory disturbances is performed during over-night sleep studies (polysomnography), which are labor-intensive, time-consuming, expensive and difficult for patients. Thus, the development of alternative techniques to assist in the identification of those events in the outpatient setting is of marked importance for widespread screening of sleep apnea.