14 DAY TRIAL // The US National Institutes of Health (NIH), through its National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI), has been conducting research into how obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is related to stroke risks in the general population for quite some time. Recently, experts managed to conclude and publish their report, which hints at some worrying correlations. It would appear that middle-aged and older men are at high risk of suffering from stroke, if they are also suffering from OSA, PhysOrg reports.
According to the landmark investigation, it would appear that the sleep disorder more than doubles the risk a normal person has of suffering from the heart condition. The correlation also held true for women, but to a lesser degree, the researchers say. The NIH defines sleep apnea as the disease in which patients suffer partial or total blockage of their superior airways during sleep. The severity of the affliction is determined by the amount of time breathing stops, and also by the frequency of the apneas.
In the case of men suffering from OSA, which is a severe form of the condition, it was discovered that stroke risks triple. The NIH study also reveals that the elevated risk OSA triggers is independent on the action of other triggers for stroke, such as for example excessive weight, tobacco consumption, high blood pressure, race, or diabetes. Details of the research appear in the March 25 online issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, ahead of print. The paper is entitled “Obstructive Sleep Apnea Hypopnea and Incident Stroke: The Sleep Heart Health Study.”
“Although scientists have uncovered several risk factors for stroke – such as age, high blood pressure and atrial fibrillation, and diabetes – there are still many cases in which the cause or contributing factors are unknown. This is the largest study to date to link sleep apnea with an increased risk of stroke. The time is right for researchers to study whether treating sleep apnea could prevent or delay stroke in some individuals,” explains Susan B. Shurin, MD, who is the acting director of the NHLBI. At this point, it is estimated that stroke is the second leading cause of unnatural death worldwide.
“We now have abundant evidence that sleep apnea is associated with cardiovascular risk factors and diseases. The next logical step is to determine if treating sleep apnea can lower a person's risk of these leading killers. With stimulus funds, our research group is now developing the additional research and resources to begin answering this important question,” concludes the lead author of the new paper, Susan Redline, MD, MPH. She is a professor of medicine, pediatrics, and epidemiology and biostatistics, at the Cleveland, Ohio-based Case Western Reserve University.