- A new study finds that reduced blood oxygen levels may be a leading factor behind the link between obstructive sleep apnea and increased cardiovascular risk.
- Researchers reviewed data from more than 4,500 middle-aged and older adults who completed medical check-ins and sleep assessments.
- They believe that a high reduction in blood oxygen levels during sleep mostly due to severe obstruction of the airways may be the cause behind this link.
Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the upper airway becomes blocked during sleep. This reduces or completely stops a person’s airflow.
Factors that increase an individual’s risk of developing obstructive sleep apnea include:
- obesity
- having large tonsils
- experiencing changes in hormone levels.
Obstructive sleep apnea is the
Obstructive sleep apnea is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, as noted in previous research.
“Sleep problems […] including sleep apnea contribute significantly to cardiovascular morbidity, as well as all-cause mortality,” Dr. Marishka Brown, director of the
A new study now looks at the mechanism behind obstructive sleep apnea and increased cardiovascular risk. It suggests the link may be caused by reduced blood oxygen levels.
The study is published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
The Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) refers to the amount of apneas, when breathing stops, or hypopneas, when breathing is reduced, a person experiences per hour of sleep. It is a conventional measurement of obstructive sleep apnea severity.
“They use that for essentially everything as far as this disorder, but what the research has been finding — and really what this paper as well is strongly supporting — is that there are additional other measures […]…
Read the full article here