Sleep Apnea- Not Just for Men

  

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When we think of loud snoring, images of our fathers spring to mind. Or maybe you see your mother, sighing and pulling a pillow over her head to combat the roars your dad emitted while sleeping. 

However, sleep apnea and snoring are not just for men. While sleep apnea still affects many more men than women, up to 3% of women do suffer from the sleep disorder. Moreover, a new study found that women who suffer from untreated sleep apnea increase their risk of dying from heart attacks and other cardiovascular diseases by more than 10% compared to women who do not suffer from sleep apnea.

The study is published in the Jan. 17 issue of the Annals of Internal Medicine.

The research also found that CPAP treatment in women with severe sleep apnea reduces the risk of dying from a cardiovascular disease. 

The research followed over 1100 women, divided into groups by the severity of their sleep apnea, spanning more than 7 years. At the end of the study, about 4% of the women had died from cardiovascular complications and another 3% percent had died of other causes. 

Of the 41 deaths from cardiovascular disease, 18 were in the group with severe and untreated apnea, while 8 of those with severe but treated apnea died of cardiovascular problems during the follow-up.

For more information about sleep apnea, visit our sleep disorders page.