Healio Pulmonology reports on the findings of an analysis published in JAMA, which showed unrecognized severe obstructive sleep apnea is associated with significantly increased risk for cardiovascular complications within 30 days after major noncardiac surgery. The primary composite outcome — myocardial injury, cardiac death, heart failure, thromboembolism, atrial fibrillation and stroke — occurred in 19.3 percent of all participating patients (1,218 total).

Stavros G. Memtsoudis, MD, PhD, MBA, anesthesiologist at HSS, who was not involved in the study, co-authored an accompanying editorial, and wrote, “Although more research is needed to further detail the mechanisms and clinical management strategies, [obstructive sleep apnea] as a disease complex should receive the same attention as other comorbidities, such as diabetes, for which optimization has improved perioperative morbidity and mortality over recent decades.”

Read the full article at Healio.com.

Additional coverage: Medscape.com.