Sleep apnea is associated with heart disease. There are many contributing mechanisms. For one, the increased effort periodically through the night to take breaths from obstruction puts stress on the heart, leading to increased heart rate and blood pressure. Another is just the stress state, the inflammatory state that someone with sleep apnea is in can cause metabolic problems. Such metabolic problems can lead to insulin resistance, weight gain, and other risk factors for heart disease.
OSA (Obstructive Sleep Apnea) and Cardiac Effects:
– Patients with OSA have increased sympathetic nerve activity and increased systemic hypertension (Somers. J of Clin Invest. 1995).
– The severity of OSA influences the risk for coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, and stroke (Shahar. Am J Respir Crit Care. 2001).
– Mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in OSA include (1) Intermittent hypoxia (2) Sympathetic activation (3) Mechanical load (4) Snoring causing vibratory trauma leading to focal endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis (5) Impaired sleep leading to metabolic dysregulation (CHEST Sleep Medicine Board Review 2010)
