Snoring linked to heart disease: Study
MIL/Hindu, Mar 3, 2008.
London, March 3, 2008 - Snoring can cause more than a disrupted night's sleep -- it may trigger high blood pressure which can lead to heart disease or even a stroke. Researchers at Semmelweis University in Budapest in Hungary have carried out a study and found that loud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
According to the study's co-author Istvan Mucsi, "Our findings suggest that loud snoring with breathing pauses carries a significantly increased risk for heart disease and is close to obstructive sleep apnea syndrome on the spectrum of sleep disordered breathing..." They interviewed 12,643 Hungarian individuals and found that loud snorers had a 34 per cent increased risk of having a heart attack, and a 67 per cent greater chance of a stroke compared to people who don't snore, the 'Sleep' journal has reported.
Factors such as age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, level of education, smoking, and alcohol consumption were all taken into consideration by the researchers. However, quiet snoring was found to be associated only with an increased risk for hypertension in women. Loud snoring was also associated with increased use of healthcare resources (emergency visits and hospitalisation), the study found.
Habitual snoring has been found in about 24 per cent of adult women and 40 per cent of adult men. Both men and women are more likely to snore as they age. Men, however, become less likely to snore after the age of 70. Snoring is a sound made in the upper airway of your throat as you sleep and it normally occurs as you breathe in air. It is a sign that your airway is being partially blocked and is more common in people who are overweight.
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