ABSTRACT
COVID-19 has generated considerable morbidity and mortality worldwide, particularly among those with chronic comorbidities: hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. Research has shown that sleep apnea can worsen the vital prognosis, by causing or exacerbating endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, oxidative stress, microaspiration and lung damage, which amplifies the risk of hospitalization and even respiratory failure. A retrospective and cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out, 187 heart patients with clinical signs suggestive of obstructive sleep apnea were evaluated and were positive for SARS-CoV-2, between 2020-2021. The methodology of Castro et al., 2021 and questionnaire were applied. STOP-BANG to assess dyspnea and characterize OSA, respectively. The strong association between heart disease and the presence of OSA was confirmed;More than half of the patients studied presented severe disease due to COVID-19, with moderate-severe dyspnea, which required hospitalization with intensive care, with a higher frequency observed in males, over 50 years of age and with BMI >30. However, females presented significant STOP-BANG values, which suggests hypertension and obesity as risk factors for OSA, regardless of gender. It is recommended to rule out OSA as a medical routine, which allows establishing the epidemiology and strategies for an adequate approach to these patients.