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Posted on Jul 31, 2008, 8 p.m.
By Jeanelle Topping
An 18-year study has discovered a link between sleep apnea and an increased risk of death.
An 18-year study has discovered a link between sleep apnea and an increased risk of death.
Research from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort found that adults aged from 30 to 60 years old with sleep-disordered breathing are two to three times more likely to die from any cause compared to those who don't suffer from the condition.
The findings suggest that the treatment of severe sleep-disordered breathing may protect patients against risk of cardiovascular deaths, as untreated sleep apnea has been linked to a greater risk of cardiovascular disease and risk factors, including high blood pressure, stroke and diabetes.
Lead researcher Dr Terry Young, professor of epidemiology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explained: "We found that both men and women with sleep apnea in the general population - not patients - mostly undiagnosed and untreated, had poorer survival compared with persons without sleep apnoea, given equal BMI, age and sex."
An estimated 12 to 18 million Americans suffer from moderate to severe sleep-disordered breathing, figures show.
