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Bursztyn and coworkers¹ have demonstrated that the siesta may be an independent predictor of mortality in the elderly. Although the siesta has been reported to have some protective effect on cardiovascular events,² the authors' report and another study³ suggested that the siesta may have untoward rather than beneficial effects on health status in the elderly.

The authors carefully argued the possible role of sleep apnea syndrome (SAS) in the occurrence of the siesta; however, the significance of the polysomnographic (PSG) study, the most reliable method for detection of SAS, is not discussed.

Sleep apnea syndrome is strongly associated with hypertension (HT), altered cardiovascular variability, disruption of diurnal variation of blood pressure, and mortality.^4-5 It is also associated with repetitive arousals, repetitive hypoxia, a rise in catecholamine levels, and sympathetic nervous system activity, all of which can lead to HT and other cardiovascular diseases.^4-5 Disruption of diurnal blood pressure rhythm may . . . [Full Text of this Article]

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