You may already know that Sleep Apnea is a leading cause of daytime sleepiness and disrupted sleeping patterns, but it also contributes to a host of medical problems. Sleep Apnea is a breathing disorder that causes those affected to snore (often very loudly) and stop breathing multiple times a night. Cessation of breath can happen hundreds of times a night and each episode can last up to a minute. Recent studies have shown that Sleep Apnea is related to a variety of chronic health issues. Serious complications associated with Sleep Apnea include, but are not limited to: High Blood Pressure, Heart Disease, and Diabetes.
Patients with High Blood Pressure, particularly treatment resistant High Blood Pressure are likely to also have Sleep Apnea. Sudden drops in Oxygen levels in the blood contribute to an increase in blood pressure which places a strain on the cardiovascular system.
Cardiovascular strain due to Sleep Apnea can result in reoccurring heart attacks, heart murmurs, and abnormal heartbeats. A University of Wisconsin study showed that the risk of dying from Heart Disease may increase by as much as five times among those who have untreated Sleep Apnea.