Sleep Apnea and Heart Health: What Patients Should Know<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Most people think of obstructive sleep apnea<\/a> as a condition that causes loud snoring and daytime sleepiness<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n But sleep apnea can involve much more than poor sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep can cause changes in blood oxygen levels, repeated arousals, activation of the body’s stress responses, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Over time, obstructive sleep apnea is associated with several cardiovascular conditions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That doesn’t mean everyone who snores will develop heart disease\u2014or that sleep apnea is the cause of every cardiovascular problem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It does mean that sleep and heart health are closely connected.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n When you fall asleep, muscles throughout the body relax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a person with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA)<\/strong>, the upper airway repeatedly becomes narrowed or blocked during sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Airflow may decrease substantially or temporarily stop even though the body continues trying to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These breathing disturbances are called hypopneas<\/strong> and apneas<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When breathing is disrupted, several things may occur:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The person may then resume more normal breathing\u2014sometimes with a gasp, snort, or choking sound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This cycle can occur repeatedly during the night.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your cardiovascular system does not shut down while you sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthy sleep is normally associated with important changes in heart rate, blood pressure, breathing, and nervous-system activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Repeated sleep-disordered breathing can interfere with these normal nighttime patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Researchers have identified associations between obstructive sleep apnea and cardiovascular problems including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n The relationship is complex.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Age, weight, diabetes, smoking, cholesterol, physical activity, genetics, and other medical conditions can also affect cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, having sleep apnea does not mean that a person will inevitably develop heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best-known cardiovascular associations with obstructive sleep apnea involves hypertension<\/strong>, or high blood pressure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Normally, blood pressure tends to decrease during sleep.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Repeated breathing disturbances, arousals, oxygen changes, and sympathetic nervous-system activation can interfere with normal nighttime cardiovascular regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For some patients\u2014particularly those with difficult-to-control blood pressure\u2014possible sleep apnea may be one of several factors a healthcare provider considers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have high blood pressure and also experience loud snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, gasping, or excessive daytime sleepiness, mention those symptoms to your healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea is also associated with certain abnormal heart rhythms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the best-known examples is atrial fibrillation (AFib)<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm that requires appropriate medical evaluation and management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea is not the only cause or risk factor for AFib.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, because sleep-disordered breathing and cardiovascular disease can coexist, healthcare professionals may consider sleep apnea when evaluating certain patients with heart-rhythm problems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have an established heart condition, don’t assume treating sleep apnea replaces your cardiac treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both conditions need appropriate medical care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep-disordered breathing can also occur in people with heart failure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is particularly important because not all sleep apnea is obstructive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some patients can experience central sleep apnea (CSA)<\/strong>, in which breathing disturbances occur because the brain’s respiratory control system does not consistently send the expected signals to breathe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obstructive and central sleep apnea are different conditions and may require different approaches to evaluation and treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People with significant cardiovascular disease should therefore receive individualized evaluation rather than attempting to diagnose or treat sleep apnea on their own.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Obstructive sleep apnea is also associated with stroke and cerebrovascular disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Stroke has many possible risk factors, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea can be one additional factor within this larger cardiovascular picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Anyone experiencing possible symptoms of a stroke\u2014such as sudden facial drooping, arm weakness, speech difficulty, sudden severe balance problems, or other acute neurologic symptoms\u2014needs emergency medical attention.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Do not wait for a sleep evaluation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n People sometimes focus entirely on the lowest oxygen number displayed on a sleep-study report.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Oxygen saturation is important, but a sleep study contains much more information than one number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Healthcare professionals may consider:<\/p>\n\n\n\n An oxygen reading should therefore be interpreted in context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not necessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many people snore without having obstructive sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Snoring alone cannot determine your cardiovascular risk.<\/p>\n\n\n\n What deserves particular attention is snoring accompanied by symptoms such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n These symptoms should be discussed with a healthcare provider.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Not everyone with obstructive sleep apnea reports severe daytime sleepiness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Some patients may primarily notice:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Others may have relatively few symptoms recognized by the patient.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sometimes a bed partner is the first person to notice abnormal breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That is why the absence of obvious daytime sleepiness does not by itself rule out sleep apnea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea should be diagnosed through appropriate clinical evaluation and objective sleep testing when indicated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Depending on the patient, testing may involve:<\/p>\n\n\n\n For certain uncomplicated adults with signs and symptoms suggesting an increased risk of obstructive sleep apnea, a Home Sleep Apnea Test may be appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n An attended overnight sleep study records multiple physiologic signals and provides a more comprehensive assessment of sleep and breathing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patients with certain significant medical conditions or more complicated clinical situations may require in-lab polysomnography rather than a typical home test.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your healthcare provider can determine which type of testing is appropriate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important not to make that promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Treatment of obstructive sleep apnea is intended to manage sleep-disordered breathing and can improve important outcomes for many patients, including symptoms and sleep-related breathing abnormalities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, cardiovascular disease is complex and usually involves multiple risk factors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea treatment should therefore be viewed as one component of overall healthcare\u2014not as a replacement for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your healthcare providers can help determine the appropriate approach for your individual situation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have cardiovascular disease and symptoms suggesting sleep apnea, tell the healthcare professional managing your care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Important symptoms include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also tell your sleep-care provider about your cardiovascular history.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Medical conditions can influence decisions about sleep testing and treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you have been prescribed positive airway pressure therapy, use it according to the treatment plan provided by your healthcare team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you’re struggling with:<\/p>\n\n\n\n don’t simply abandon treatment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discuss the problem with your sleep-care team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Many PAP difficulties can be investigated and addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your heart works around the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep is part of the body’s normal period of physiologic regulation and recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When breathing is repeatedly disrupted during sleep, the effects are not necessarily limited to whether you feel tired the next morning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This is why symptoms of sleep apnea deserve attention\u2014particularly in people who also have cardiovascular risk factors or established heart disease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A sleep clinic is not the place to manage an acute cardiovascular emergency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Seek emergency medical attention for symptoms such as:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep apnea evaluation can happen after the immediate medical emergency has been addressed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your partner repeatedly tells you:<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cYou stop breathing when you’re asleep.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n don’t dismiss the observation simply because you don’t remember waking up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Likewise, don’t assume that loud snoring and persistent daytime sleepiness are inevitable parts of aging.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sleep-disordered breathing can often be evaluated objectively.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Recognizing the symptoms is the first step.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you experience loud snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, gasping during sleep, excessive daytime sleepiness, or other symptoms suggesting a possible sleep disorder, appropriate evaluation can help determine whether sleep testing is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Call to discuss your sleep concerns or request an appointment:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n (804) 897-1705<\/a><\/strong> Better Sleep. Better Health.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n This article is provided for general educational purposes and is not a substitute for individual medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Cardiovascular symptoms can require urgent medical attention. Seek emergency care for symptoms suggesting a heart attack, stroke, severe breathing difficulty, or another medical emergency.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Sleep Apnea and Heart Health: What Patients Should Know Most people think of obstructive sleep apnea as a condition that causes loud snoring and daytime sleepiness. But sleep apnea can involve much more than poor sleep. Repeated interruptions in breathing during sleep can cause changes in blood oxygen levels, repeated arousals, activation of the body’s […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-394","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=394"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":395,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/394\/revisions\/395"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=394"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=394"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/canisleep.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=394"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}What Happens During Obstructive Sleep Apnea?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Why Does This Matter to the Heart?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sleep Apnea and High Blood Pressure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep Apnea and Heart Rhythm<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep Apnea and Heart Failure<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep Apnea and Stroke<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What About Drops in Oxygen?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Does Loud Snoring Mean My Heart Is in Danger?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Can You Have Sleep Apnea Without Being Very Sleepy?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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How Is Sleep Apnea Diagnosed?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Home Sleep Apnea Testing (HSAT)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
In-Lab Polysomnography (PSG)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If I Treat My Sleep Apnea, Will It Prevent Heart Disease?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What If I Already Have Heart Disease?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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What If I’m Already Using CPAP?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Sleep and Heart Health Are Connected<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
When Should You Seek Emergency Care?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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Don’t Ignore the Nighttime Clues<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Sleep Testing & Sleep Health in Richmond, Virginia<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
(804) 520-8932<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n