Faculty Sponsor

Jana Stedman

College

College of Nursing & Health Professions (CONHP)

Department/Program

MSPA

Presentation Type

Poster Presentation

Symposium Date

Summer 7-22-2026

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this literature review was to evaluate whether < 6 hour sleep duration and poor sleep quality, compared with normal >7 hour sleep duration, increase the risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in adults. Outcomes included cardiovascular disease, coronary artery disease, stroke, heart failure, cardiovascular mortality, and related cardiovascular health measures. Methods: A literature review was conducted using Google Scholar to evaluate the relationship between sleep parameters and cardiovascular outcomes. English-language, full-text studies published since 2019 involving adults were included, while pediatric studies and non-cardiovascular outcomes were excluded. The review included three prospective cohort studies, two meta-analyses, and one interventional study. Results: Evidence consistently demonstrated that short sleep duration (≤5–6 hours), poor sleep efficiency, and increased wake after sleep onset were associated with increased cardiovascular risk as well as increased rates of heart failure, cardiovascular mortality, and autonomic dysfunction. A meta-analysis of 604,509 adults found a 9% higher risk of coronary artery disease and stroke among short sleepers. Sleep-inclusive cardiovascular health models showed up to a 47% reduction in cardiovascular disease risk in individuals with favorable sleep patterns. Conclusion: Current evidence supports a strong association between poor sleep and increased cardiovascular risk, although causation has not been established. Sleep assessment and counseling should be incorporated into routine cardiovascular risk evaluation as a low-cost, nonpharmacologic adjunct to established preventive therapies. Additional long-term interventional studies are needed to determine whether improving sleep directly reduces cardiovascular events. Keywords: cardiovascular disease; sleep duration; sleep quality; cardiovascular prevention; heart failure; cardiovascular mortality.

Biographical Information about Author(s)

Jane has an anticipated graduation date of July 2026 from the Valparaiso University Physician Assistant Program. Her favorite rotation was Cardiothoracic Surgery and the ICU because of the complexity of the patients and the opportunity to see them in surgery as their problems were being fixed. Witnessing advanced cardiovascular disease firsthand strengthened her passion for preventive cardiology and her desire to help patients reduce their risk of disease progression before surgical intervention becomes necessary. Jane was inspired to research the topic "More Than Rest: The Impact of Sleep on Cardiovascular Health" because of her special interest in cardiology, and hopes to bring greater awareness to sleep as an important, yet often overlooked, modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. She hopes this research encourages clinicians to prioritize sleep health alongside traditional cardiovascular risk factors when assessing and counseling patients. 

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