Severe OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) raised the risk of heart failure for middle-aged and older men and significantly raised the risk of coronary heart disease in men up to age 70. According to research reported in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.
- After adjusting for known heart risk factors researchers found that men with the most severe OSA faced a 58% higher risk of developing heart failure than those without OSA. Those 40 to 70 with the most severe OSA had a 68% higher risk of developing coronary heart disease than those without OSA.
- In the study, researchers defined severs OSA as an hourly average of 30 or more breathing interruptions causing oxygen depletion and lasting at least 10 seconds. This can cause blood oxygen to drop and can rouse people from sleep with a burst of adrenaline that increases blood pressure, which may contribute to vascular problems.
American Heart Association (2010, July 13), Obstructive sleep apnea linked with later heart disease. Sciencedaily.com Retrieved September 3, 2010 from http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/07/100712162539.htm