The Epidemiology of Sleep Apnea in a Bi-Ethnic Stroke Population

Co-Principal Investigators

Devin Brown

Funding Sources

NATIONAL HEART, LUNG, AND BLOOD INSTITUTE

About this Project

More than half of ischemic stroke patients have sleep apnea, a very common and important risk factor for incident stroke and potentially a risk factor for poor stroke outcome. No published studies have established the prevalence of sleep apnea in Hispanics to discern sleep apnea's contribution to excess stroke burden in this large minority group. Small studies have suggested that stroke patients with sleep apnea have particularly poor stroke outcomes, but population-based studies in diverse populations are lacking. Even fewer data exist about the relationship between sleep apnea and recurrent stroke and mortality, potential targets for a clinical trial of sleep apnea treatment in stroke patients. The parent study for this project, the Brain Attack Surveillance in Corpus Christi (BASIC) project, is an ongoing population-based stroke surveillance study that identifies stroke cases in Nueces County, Texas. This study has made many important discoveries about stroke in Hispanics, the largest minority group in the US, and non-Hispanic whites. BASIC will continue to identify all ischemic strokes in Nueces County and will provide detailed 90-day stroke outcome data (cognitive, functional, neurologic, and quality of life).