Clinical cardiology
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Clinical cardiology · Jun 2010
The effect of sleep apnea on QT interval, QT dispersion, and arrhythmias.
QT interval (QT) and QT dispersion (QTd) are electrocardiograph (ECG) parameters for the evaluation of myocardial repolarization. The inhomogeneity of ventricular repolarization is associated with ventricular arrhythmias. An increased QT, QTd, and increased incidence of nocturnal cardiac rhythm disturbances have been described in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), while other investigators did not find a relationship between ventricular arrhythmias and OSA. ⋯ QTd and QTcd did not increase during the nighttime period. Our study did not show an increased risk of ventricular arrhythmias in this population during the monitoring period.