Heart and Lung Conditions

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 organizational medical director, Dr. 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.

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