Sleep apnea may cause early heart disease
{ Posted on Oct 27 2007 by hans }
The snoring and constant awakenings of severe sleep apnea could provide an early indication of heart disease, researchers report.
Researchers detected early hardening of the arteries in 42-to44-year-old patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea, despite the absence of overt signs of cardiovascular disease.
People with obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing in their sleep as a result of partial or complete blockage of the upper airway.
The vascular abnormalities detected by researchers correlated significantly with the severity of the patient’s sleep apnea.
Although sleep apnea is believed to contribute to heart disease, no one yet has explained that connection, researchers say.