Sleep Deprivation in Cardiology: A Multidisciplinary Survey

The burden and impact of sleep deprivation in cardiology has received limited study.

A multidisciplinary, online survey on sleep health patterns and sleep deprivation involving 44 closed-ended questions was distributed via email list to cardiovascular workers.

The survey was circulated among 6683 individuals, of whom 481 (7.2%) completed the survey; 80% of the respondents were men and 70% were interventional cardiologists. Nearly all (91%) had call responsibilities, with 43% doing ≥7 call-nights per month. Sleep disorders were reported in 25%, with 25% using sleep-inducing medications (8.4% at least once per week). The main factors diminishing the quality and/or quantity of sleep were related to work (66%), family and/or personal activities (56%), and staying up late at night writing or studying (48%). Sleep deprivation was associated with difficulty concentrating (58%), lack of motivation (56%), and irritability (68%). Work performance was felt to be hindered by 46% of participants and 8.6% reported an adverse event such as a complication and/ or negative patient outcome likely related to sleep deprivation. Many (56.5%) felt burnout and 85% opined that policies should exist allowing sleep-deprived individuals to go home early post call.

Our survey provides insights into sleep health patterns among cardiovascular workers and potential factors contributing to sleep deprivation. Sleep deprivation may impact performance, with 8.6% of respondents describing sleep-deprivation related adverse events. Further study is required to both identify measures to attenuate the burden and better understand the impact of sleep deprivation on both health-care personnel and patient outcomes.