Blog

All

Snoring And Heart Disease

Tue, May 31, 2011

Snoring has been found to be a predictor of Ischaemic Heart Disease and stroke, according to the results of a detailed study of over 4,300 middle aged men,

The researchers say there is a clear link between snoring, sleep apnoea and arterial hypertension.

During sleep, patients with apnoea often develop hypoxaemia (reduced blood oxygen levels) and hypercapnia (heightened carbon dioxide levels). In severe cases the blood oxygen saturation may fall below 70%.  When performing polysomnograms (diagnostic sleep studies) on patients, we have even seen patients with blood oxygen saturation levels of less than 60%.

The cardiac index decreases during an apnoeic episode and increases appreciably at the resumption of ventilation, when the pulmonary and systemic arterial pressure increase temporarily, straining the heart, especially the right side.

Snoring is common, but it is not 'normal'.  If you snore, or know someone who does, consider the snoring to be a loud clear indicator that something is wrong with the airflow while sleeping.  Get treatment for the condition, rather than tolerating it.

Full details of the study can be found here.