Heart
Conditions and Sleep
The Link between Heart Conditions and
Sleep Disorders
Experts agree that there is a direct connection among
sleep, sleep apnea and heart disease.
Individuals with sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing during
sleep and must partially wake each time to gasp or snort for
air. This is caused by the main breathing passage in the back of
the throat closing or becoming too narrow.
The result? People who have sleep apnea often develop high
blood pressure and heart disease. For individuals who already
have a heart condition, sleep apnea can worsen their health.
The Connection between Sleep
Disorders and Heart Disease
Sleep-related breathing disorders can directly cause certain heart
conditions, or can worsen these conditions if they previously
existed.
High blood pressure: Sleep
apnea causes the heart rate and blood pressure to increase.
These nightly increases in blood pressure eventually lead to
permanent increases in blood pressure, even during the day.
Coronary artery disease: People
with sleep apnea have higher rates of coronary artery disease
(CAD). This is because the apnea increases the risk for high
blood pressure, a main cause of CAD, and because events that
occur during the apnea can put added stress on the heart and
worsen existing disease.
Heart failure: Many experts
believe that about 50 percent of heart failure patients suffer
from sleep apnea. Disorders of sleep and breathing can both
cause heart failure and develop as a result of heart failure.
Stroke: High blood pressure is
the most common cause of stroke, and sleep apnea can lead to
high blood pressure. Also, sleep apnea may cause strokes
directly since blood flow to the brain is reduced and the level
of oxygen drops during apneas.
Arrhythmias: Several studies
have shown that heart failure patients with sleep apnea have a
higher prevalence of atrial fibrillation and ventricular
arrhythmias (irregular heartbeat). People who have ventricular
tachycardia (a rapid heart rate) or a pacemaker are also more
prone to have sleep apnea.
Sleep Apnea is Treatable
Disorders like sleep apnea are treatable. In fact, treating
sleep apnea may actually decrease a person’s chances of
developing certain cardiovascular diseases.
Sleepcare Diagnostics specializes in the care of patients with
heart conditions as well as severely overweight individuals. We
diagnose and treat sleep disorders, and provide therapeutic
devices. Our head physician and medical director for the center,
Shahrokh Javaheri, M.D., is internationally known for his
research in sleep disorders and in the correlation of sleep
disordered breathing to cardiovascular disease.
Our well-trained and compassionate employees are experienced in
the techniques required to administer sleep studies to patients
with heart disease or heart failure. They are knowledgeable
about the links between sleep apnea and heart conditions and
take this into consideration as they work with you to achieve
success with your prescribed therapy. |