When a person snores during the sleep, there is a possibility that he or she has a sleep disorder called as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Technically, an apnea occurs when there is a cessation of breathing for at least 10 seconds.
OSA is one in which tissues in the back of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep causing a series of interrupted breathing. Patients with OSA have extreme daytime sleepiness. OSA is usually associated with obese men and women. These people have thicker necks because of fat deposition that narrows the upper airway and aggravate obstructive apnea.
In fact, the blood pressure, nerve, and hormonal changes caused by OSA may raise the risk of heart attack during the night, as revealed by a new research. The findings of the study, carried out by researchers from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in July 2008.
OSA causes some changes in the body that may lead to blockage of the coronary arteries and heart attack. It is suspected that a peak of heart attack symptoms would be expected during the night.
92 heart attack patients were studied and documented at the time their chest pain began. They were then asked to undergo sleep tests 2 to 3 weeks after their heart attack. It was found that 70 percent (64) of the patients were diagnosed with OSA. Patients with and without OSA were generally similar in terms of their health background and current medications.
The researchers found that from midnight to 6am, the frequency of heart attack was higher in OSA patients. Meanwhile, it was higher in patients without OSA from 6am to noon. Furthermore, patients with OSA were 6 times more likely to have a heart attack at night in comparison with those without OSA.
The findings suggest that nighttime heart attacks may be the cause of the increased likelihood of nighttime sudden death that has been reported in OSA patients. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with a heart attack at night should be evaluated for OSA.
OSA is one in which tissues in the back of the throat temporarily collapse during sleep causing a series of interrupted breathing. Patients with OSA have extreme daytime sleepiness. OSA is usually associated with obese men and women. These people have thicker necks because of fat deposition that narrows the upper airway and aggravate obstructive apnea.
In fact, the blood pressure, nerve, and hormonal changes caused by OSA may raise the risk of heart attack during the night, as revealed by a new research. The findings of the study, carried out by researchers from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology in July 2008.
OSA causes some changes in the body that may lead to blockage of the coronary arteries and heart attack. It is suspected that a peak of heart attack symptoms would be expected during the night.
92 heart attack patients were studied and documented at the time their chest pain began. They were then asked to undergo sleep tests 2 to 3 weeks after their heart attack. It was found that 70 percent (64) of the patients were diagnosed with OSA. Patients with and without OSA were generally similar in terms of their health background and current medications.
The researchers found that from midnight to 6am, the frequency of heart attack was higher in OSA patients. Meanwhile, it was higher in patients without OSA from 6am to noon. Furthermore, patients with OSA were 6 times more likely to have a heart attack at night in comparison with those without OSA.
The findings suggest that nighttime heart attacks may be the cause of the increased likelihood of nighttime sudden death that has been reported in OSA patients. Therefore, it is recommended that patients with a heart attack at night should be evaluated for OSA.
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