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Research Highlights
Sleep apnea may be risk factor for stroke
November 10, 2005
Of 1,022 patients in a recent study, those who had obstructive sleep apnea were twice as likely to have a stroke or die from any cause during the 3.5-year follow-up period. In sleep apnea, the upper airway closes repeatedly during sleep. The disorder had been linked in prior research to a higher risk of stroke and other cardiovascular diseases, but researchers weren't sure if this was only because those with sleep apnea were also more likely to have other risk factors, such as obesity or high blood pressure. In the new study, researchers from the VA Connecticut Healthcare System and Yale University School of Medicine determined that the connection between sleep apnea and stroke persists even independent of other risk factors.
Yaggi HK, Concato J, Kernan WN, Lichtman JH, Brass LM, Mohsenin V. Obstructive sleep apnea as a risk factor for stroke and death.
N Engl J Med. 2005 Nov 10;353(19):2034-41.
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