Background: Sleep disturbance and delirium are complications after surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and transcutaneous aortic valve replacement (TAVI), especially in octogenarian patients. Sedatives and z-hypnotics are medications distributed to promote sleep. However, a knowledge-gap exists on patient experiences with these medications, and sleep and delirium after the cardiac treatment.

Aim: To explore and describe how octogenarians suffering from delirium after SAVR/TAVI experience their sleep situation related to sedatives and z-hypnotics, in a long-term perspective.

Methods An explorative and descriptive design with a longitudinal qualitative approach was applied. Inclusion criteria; age 80+, treated with SAVR or TAVI and had experienced delirium. Information about administration of sedatives and z-hypnotics was collected from the patients journals. The Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) was used to assess delirium, the Sleep Sufficient Index (SSI) and Minimal Insomnia Symptom Scale (MISS) were used to document self-reported sleep and insomnia. All measures were performed at baseline and daily the five first postoperative days. Ten patients were interviewed 6-12 months after treatment with focus on delirium. Five of these patients were re-interviewed four years later, focusing on their sleep situation.

Findings: For the initial interview, five men and five woman, four after TAVI and six after SAVR, mean age 83 were included. One overarching theme revealed; hours in bed represented an emotional chaos. Three sub-themes described the patients experiences with sleep and delirium, a cascade of distressful experiences, the struggle between sleep and activity and elements influencing sleep. In the category physical sleep distractions, sleep medications emerged as a sleep disturbing element but also to evoke delirium. Patients described to be offered sedatives and z-hypnotics in hospital. However, they did not have a positive experience with this as the medication did not make them sleep better. Moreover, they associated the nightmares by the sedatives Four years after the cardiac treatment, the octogenarian patients described that medication did not have a sleep promoting effect, and they did not want it.

Conclusion: Octogenarian patients are vulnerable to complications like sleep disturbances and delirium. In preventing and treating these conditions, health-care professionals should be aware of the effect and side-effect of sedatives and z-hypnotics in the octogenarian patients. Our findings show that medications should be cautiously used within this group of patients.