According to a new American study, poor quality of sleep is a major risk factor in atrial fibrillation, a disorder that can lead to stroke or dementia.
In life, sleep is at the base of everything, we cannot repeat it enough. Proof of this is: a study has just shown the harmful effects of poor quality of sleep on health. Indeed, according to new American research published in the journal HeartRhythm, poor sleep could be a significant risk factor for atrial fibrillation.
This disorder, which mainly affects the elderly, is characterized by a very fast heartbeat which can lead to shortness of breath, a feeling of tightness in the chest and heart palpitations. Beyond the obvious painfulness of this affliction, patients who suffer from it are at greater risk of having strokes, developing dementia or even kidney problems.
“A determining factor in atrial fibrillation”
While many studies had already established a link between sleep apnea and cardiovascular disease (it can cause cardiopulmonary stress responsible for inflammation), Dr. Gregory M. Marcus of the Department of Cardiology at the University of California at San Francisco and his colleagues have been interested in the link between overall sleep quality and atrial fibrillation. Based on three existing studies, they were able to establish that people who suffer from this disease tend to wake up at night.
Then, the researchers looked at the medical records of all Californians over the age of 21 who had been in hospital between 2005 and 2009. They then realized that the diagnosis of atrial fibrillation was always preceded by that of. insomnia. In the end, the scientists did not find a link between sleep duration and atrial fibrillation, but instead determined that often interrupted sleep increased the risk of developing this disease.
This is the first time that a study has shown the relationship between poor sleep and a higher risk of atrial fibrillation without focusing on sleep apnea. “These data prove that the quality of sleep in itself, even outside of sleep apnea, is a determining factor in atrial fibrillation,” says Dr. Grégory Marcus, lead author of the study. “The strategies for improving the quality of sleep are different from those focused on relieving airway obstruction, which is why it was important to understand the relationship between sleep itself and atrial fibrillation,” explains he does.
Risk factors
And while this study has yet to shed light on the mechanisms underlying sleep on this affliction, these findings could serve as a starting point for further research on the subject.
“There are several treatments available for atrial fibrillation, but treating the root problem would be ideal. The good news is that the quality of sleep is something that you have to control on an individual basis. You can improve your sleep hygiene. , by exercising regularly, going to bed at a reasonable time and avoiding screens and caffeine just before bed, “concludes Grégory Marcus.
In addition to the issue of sleep, excessive alcohol consumption, hyperthyroidism, obesity, chronic pulmonary pathologies, taking bronchodilator drugs or inflammation have already been established by science as so many risk factors for the disease. atrial fibrillation. The latter also tends to occur in patients with coronary artery disease (acute coronary syndrome, myocardial infarction) or heart valves. People with heart failure, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, or congenital heart disease may also have it.
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