Protective Effect of Statin on Arrhythmia and Heart Rate Variability in Healthy People With 48 Hours of Sleep Deprivation

In the setting of earthquakes, floods, or fire disasters, rescue workers usually carry out their work without sleep. Sleep deprivation (SD), which is a strong stressor, can exert a large effect on the cardiovascular system of rescue workers. It has been reported that SD is associated with arrhythmia, dyslipidemia and type 2 diabetes. Heart rate variability (HRV) is acknowledged as a reliable marker of cardiac autonomic control, and the frequency of premature ventricular complexes can be an indicator of arrhythmogeneity. The investigators found that HRV was significantly decreased after 24-h sleep deprivation. Metoprolol could improve HRV and reduce the frequency of premature atrial and ventricular complexes. But sleepiness and hypotension occurred frequently in subjects treated with metoprolol. Statins have significant cardiovascular protective effects in patients with cardiovascular disease. Statin not only could regulate serum lipid level, but also have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties. This study aimed to investigate (1) the changes in heart rate variability and occurrence of cardiac arrhythmia by continuous ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG) in young, healthy subjects undergoing 48h SD and (2) the effects of statin on HRV and arrhythmia after this agent was administered prophylactically before SD.