CANBERRA, April 7 (Xinhua) -- People whose sleep apnea changes dramatically from night to night are 30 percent more likely to have a heart attack, stroke or heart failure, according to new Australian-led research.
The research, published in the journal SLEEP, found that it is not just how severe sleep apnea is that matters, but how much it fluctuates, with wide night-to-night swings in breathing problems during sleep linked to a higher risk of serious heart disease, said a statement from Australia's Flinders University on Tuesday.
Obstructive sleep apnea causes repeated pauses in breathing during sleep and affects millions of people worldwide. It is commonly associated with loud snoring, restless sleep and daytime fatigue, but it is also closely linked to heart disease and stroke, it said.
Researchers analyzed sleep data from more than 3,000 adults who monitored breathing at home over several months using under-mattress sensors.
"Many people assume sleep apnea is stable, but the reality is very different, and some nights can be much worse than others, and this repeated up and down strain may place extra stress on the heart," said study lead author and sleep expert Bastien Lechat at Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute.
The findings are reinforced by a second large international study led by Flinders University, published in npj Digital Medicine, which found that more severe sleep apnea, high night-to-night variability, and even habitual snoring were all linked to faster ageing of the blood vessels, an early warning sign for cardiovascular disease.
Researchers said the studies show sleep should be monitored over multiple nights, similar to blood pressure or glucose tracking. ■
