Obstructive sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder, which can be dangerous, according to a new study. The results of the latter were presented at the 104th Annual Meeting of the North American Society of Radiology (RSNA), which was held November 25-30 in Chicago, and relayed by the site Earth.com. They show that this pathology would imply a higher heart risk in women. They also indicate obstructive sleep apnea is severely underdiagnosed in snorers.
A risk of ventricular dysfunction
This disorder occurs when the throat muscles relax abnormally during sleep, and block the airways. Loud snoring is common in people with this disorder, along with lack of air, waking up with a dry mouth, headaches, or irritability. Thus, obstructive sleep apnea may be responsible for drowsiness and fatigue, but also cardiovascular problems, according to this new study.
The researchers used data from the British Biobank to study the link between heart function and obstructive sleep apnea, as well as snoring. 118 patients were diagnosed with the disorder, 1,886 suffered from self-reported snoring, and 2,477 were neither affected.
And research has found that obstructive sleep apnea significantly increases the risk of left ventricular dysfunction of the heart. In rare cases, it even caused dysfunction of the right ventricle. Conversely, cardiac changes in self-reported snorers indicated undiagnosed obstructive apnea.
The heart works harder
According to Dr. Adrian Curta, lead author of the study and professor at the University Hospital Munich (Germany), this is explained: in people with the sleep disorder, the walls of the pumping chamber of the heart are enlarged , it therefore works more difficult.
But what the researchers do not yet explain is that women are more at risk than men: ” “We found that heart parameters in women seemed to be more easily affected by the disease, and that women who snore or suffered from obstructive sleep apnea may be at greater risk of developing heart damage.”said Dr Adrian Curta.
The specialist therefore invites people who snore to be tested for this disorder: “I would encourage people who snore to ask their partner to observe them and look for the phases during their sleep when they stop breathing for a short time and then inhale for air.”, he adds.
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