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New study links sleep apnea to coronary heart disease

Written by: David Castillo on July 14th, 2010

New study links sleep apnea to coronary heart disease | read this item

According to a recent study, moderate and severe sleep apnea increases the risk of coronary heart disease or death by 68 percent among men under the age of 70 but does not increase the risk for me over 70 and for women.

Previous studies linked the sleep disorder to death, but only involved small testing groups—particularly people who have been hospitalized and included few women.

The new study from the Journal of the American Heart Association is the largest up to date.

Obstructive sleep apnea is manifested by a frequent collapse of the airway during sleep, making it hard for sufferers to breathe during brief intervals. Severe cases have longer periods of breathing disruption.

Based on estimates, more than 20 percent of adult men and nine percent of adult women have the condition.

The most common treatment is continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), where a mask is used to prevent an apnea. However, many patients complain about the device’s comfort.

Source: Los Angeles Times