WESTCHESTER, Ill., March 1 (UPI) -- People with obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, are at increased risk of having cardiovascular disease, says a U.S. study.
"There is abundant physiologic evidence implicating OSA in perpetuating, if not enticing, heart failure," said study author Sean M. Caples of the Mayo Clinic College of Medicine in Rochester, Minn.
The findings are published in the journal Sleep.
"In addition to their association with systemic hypertension, OSA-related stressors, including hypoxemia, increased sympathetic drive, acute surges in blood pressure, and mechanical effects of intrathoracic pressure swings, have varying effects on myocardial oxygen supply and demand, particularly in the already compromised heart."
OSA, a sleep-related breathing disorder, occurs when the tissue in the back of the throat collapses and blocks the airway, which prevents air from getting into the lungs.
In addition to cardiovascular disease, other effects of OSA include daytime sleepiness, alertness and concentration deficiencies, and an increased risk of hypertension, stroke and diabetes.
