The Sleep Heart Health Study (SHHS) Was a Multi-site Prospective Cohort Study to Investigate Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) and Other Sleep-disordered Breathing (SDB) as Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases and Hypertension

BACKGROUND:

The study was motivated by the increasing recognition of the frequent occurrences of sleep-disordered breathing in the general population and mounting evidence that sleep-disordered breathing may increase risk for cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease and stroke, and for hypertension, and may reduce quality of life generally. Many clinical questions remain unanswered concerning sleep-disordered breathing as well: for example, when, in the natural history of the disorder, intervention is warranted; and how to determine who is at risk so that recently developed treatments can be applied in a cost-effective manner.

The initiative was developed by the Pulmonary Diseases Advisory Committee, approved by the full Committee in February, 1993, and given concept clearance by the October, 1993 National Heart, Lung, and Blood Advisory Council. The Request for Applications was released in January, 1994.

DESIGN NARRATIVE:

The SHHS adds in-home polysomnography to the data collected in each of the cohorts under study. Using the Compumedics SleepWatch polysomnograph, a single over-night polysomnogram is obtained at home for the subjects; the montage includes oximetry, heart rate, chest wall and abdominal movement, nasal/oral airflow, body position, EEG, ECG, and chin EMG. In-home monitoring provides data on the occurrence of sleep-disordered breathing and on arousals.