Stroke risk rises for those with untreated apnea

Photo from flickr by Tony Webster

I don't have a real frame of reference about apnea. But I know a lot of people who face this sleeping disorder.

Now, another reason to investigate and, if necessary, treat this problem. In a study involving millions of people, it seems that untreated sleep apnea boosts risk of heart disease, stroke:

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may increase the risks of death, heart disease, stroke, and kidney disease, as well as hasten kidney function decline, according to a study of more than 3 million U.S. veterans.

Compared with OSA-negative patients, untreated OSA was associated with an 86% higher mortality risk ... , and treated OSA was associated with a 35% higher mortality risk ... , wrote Miklos Z. Molnar, MD, PhD, of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis, and colleagues, in the journal Thorax.

What sleep apnea? Follow this link to find out more about its causes and symptoms. And if this might - just might - explain why you often feel tired and sleepy, there's now one more reason to seek treatment.