Associations Between Sleep and Stroke

Consider evaluating sleep issues in stroke patients.

This Neurology review assesses the types of sleep disturbances seen in stroke, their associations with incident stroke risk and outcomes, and the effects of treatments.

Sleep-Disordered Breathing (SDB)

SDB includes obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and central sleep apnea, diagnosed by an apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) of ≥5 events per hour. SDB is common after an acute stroke. Those with SDB are at least twice as likely to have incident stroke. OSA with an AHI of ≥15 or ≥20 per hour is associated with an increased risk for death or stroke recurrence. Treatment may improve stroke recovery.

Hypersomnia/Excessive Sleep/Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)

Hypersomnia or EDS may accompany strokes in the subcortical and pontomesencephalic areas. One study sh…

Reviewing Author

Jennifer Rose V. Molano, MD

Disclosures

Grant/Research SupportNational Center for Advancing Translational Science – Cincinnati Center for Clinical and Translational Science and Training

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