Sleep Apnea And Heart Disease (Why People Die In Their Sleep)

Sleep apnea is a condition in which people stop breathing during their sleep. Although science has established the profound impact of sleep apnea on health, sleep apnea remains largely undiagnosed. Sleep apnea is now a recognized factor for cardiovascular disease, and screening for sleep apnea is recommended for stroke victims. Because of years of obscurity, the link between sleep apnea and diseases of the heart, lungs and blood vessels is not generally recognized. Yet, sleep apnea appears as a precipitating comorbidity in a multitude of heart conditions. The complex cascade of events triggered by sleep apnea induces wide-reaching effects that lead to a long list of cardiovascular diseases. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in the more developed countries, so that a minor decrease in the complications caused by sleep apnea would have an enormous impact on morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular diseases. Generating greater awareness of the serious consequences of undiagnosed sleep apnea is a pressing public health intervention that could improve outcomes in diseases as diverse as insulin resistance and atherosclerosis. The simple CPAP machine, or other oral devices used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, are well worth the cost and provide benefits several times over. This video provides insight into sleep apnea and the enormous opportunity it presents to modify cardiovascular outcomes as a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor.