Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Sleep Apnea and Heart Disease

For quite some time, we have known the dangers of sleep apnea and how this disorder can adversely affect your general health and wellbeing. New research from the American Heart Association has found that adults with sleep apnea have more heart problems than those who do not have sleep apnea. Sufferers of sleep apnea will stop breathing in their sleep for seconds at a time, sometimes hundreds of time per night. The disorder can result in:

• Extreme fatigue
• Depression
• Anxiety
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Insomnia
• Daytime sleepiness
• Cognitive problems
• Memory problems
• Weight gain
• High blood pressure
• Mood swings
• Impotence

According to the American Heart Association, men with severe OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) were 58% more likely to develop congestive heart failure than men without OSA. Researchers believe the connection between the two begins with the shutting off of air when you sleep. The lack of oxygen as you gasp for air sets the body into a panic, which raises blood pressure, stresses the heart, and puts sugar into the blood.

If you or your partner suffers from sleep apnea, there is help available to you. Please contact one of the highly trained sleep apnea dentists today to schedule a sleep apnea consultation.

http://www.ihateheadaches.org/