Mayo Clinic cardiologists have found that people with obstructive sleep apnea are at a higher risk of sudden cardiac deaths.
Obstructive sleep apnea is described as a condition wherein a person stops breathing for periods during sleep. Researchers from Mayo Clinic state that this disorder can be very dangerous as it increases the risk of a person experiencing sudden cardiac death. According to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI), most of the over 12 million people who suffer from this disorder in America are undiagnosed.
For the study, the sleeping habits of 10,701 people were studied for 5.3 years to see if there were any incidences of sudden cardiac deaths. During the course of the study, 142 participants died of sudden cardiac death. Most of these participants were aged 60 years and above and had 20 or more apnea episodes per hour of sleep. They also had an oxygen saturation below 78 percent during sleep.
Researchers of the study found that the risk of sudden death increases by double for people with sleep apnea.
The authors of the study released a press report wherein they stated that when people breath properly during their sleep; their oxygen saturation level is 100 percent. If due to improper breathing while sleeping, this oxygen saturation level goes below 78 percent, the risk of sudden cardiac death increases significantly. They also revealed that people with sleep apnea usually die from sudden cardiac arrests between midnight and 6 in the morning while people without sleep apnea die of sudden cardiac arrests between 6 AM and noon.
Sleep apnea has also been linked with other cardiovascular conditions like high blood pressure, heart attacks and strokes, and atrial fibrillation. This order can be treated by losing weight, implementing sleep posture changes and using devices that deliver air pressure through a mask placed over the nose while a person sleeps.
