According to researchers at the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, when trying to determine the underlying causes of heart disease and high blood pressure, doctors should give a person’s sleep behavior a close look. Sleep apnea has been known to be linked to these health problems, but it was not until recently that we understood how severe the link can be.
The research shows that patients with sleep apnea and normal blood pressure are significantly more likely to develop high blood pressure within four years. During both sleep and waking periods, people with sleep apnea and no other illnesses or injuries had high activity in the parts of the nervous system that control the heart rate and blood vessel constriction. In people who do not suffer from apnea, the activity decreases when the person falls asleep, which leads to a drop in blood pressure.
People with sleep apnea tend to snore loudly and have periods throughout the night where they cease breathing, snort or gasp for breath. It is thought that the lowered variation in heart rate and greater variability in blood pressure are indicators for cardiovascular disease in people with sleep apnea.
The use of a continuous positive airway pressure device while sleeping can reduce episodes of sleep apnea. Alternately, oral appliances and surgery may be potential treatment options. To determine how to best lower your risk factors for cardiovascular disease by treating your sleep apnea, call Atlanta ENT today.
You Might Also Enjoy...
Tens of thousands of people suffer from asthma in the United States, with hundreds of those in Georgia. The instances of this disease are on the rise across the nation and the world. People who suffer from this illness have swollen and inflamed airways ...
Anyone who has chronic sinusitis is quite familiar with the pressure behind the eyes, headaches, constant dripping nose and coughing that go hand in hand with the condition. Here are some things to look out for if you are affected by chronic sinusitis:
Nasal polyps number among many causes of obstructions within the nasal passages. Such obstructions can lead to increased strain being required for the simple act of breathing. When asleep, this can often enough result in snoring.
Sleep apnea is a silent affliction that affects millions of people every year. It often goes undiagnosed, and has been associated with many health problems from tiredness and lack of focus to high blood pressure to diabetes to mental and emotional problems
You might think that you are the only one that has them, but you’re not. If you have hives, you are one of MANY! Hives (technically called “urticaria”) is a very common skin problem with the most common symptom being itchiness.
Cystic Fibrosis affects tens of thousands of people worldwide. It is an illness in which mucus builds up in the lungs and pancreas, among other organs, causing airways to become constricted and blocked.
