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Sleep apnea linked to increased stroke risk
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted April 19, 2010
Obstructive sleep apnea increases stroke risk in middle-aged and older adults, especially among men, according to a study published online March 25 in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.
Researchers studied stroke risk in 5,422 participants who were 40 or older with no history of stroke. The participants (2,462 men and 2,960 women) were followed for an average of nine years. During that period, 193 people -- 85 men and 108 women -- had a stroke (link).
Researchers found men with moderate to severe sleep apnea were nearly three times more likely to have a stroke than were men with no or mild sleep apnea. In women, the increased risk of stroke was significant only with severe sleep apnea.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2010/04/19/prbf0419.htm.
