Are you sleeping?
Published in Indian
Express, City Express Health (September 26, 2006)
The purpose of dedicating September 24, as world Heart day is t promotes awareness on heart problems. Thanks to increasing number of campaigns, most of us are aware that obesity, hypertension (high blood pressure), diabetes, High cholesterol, sedentary life style (lack of exercise), heredity and age play an important role, as risk factor for heart disease. But how many of us realize that good sleep is just as vital for healthy heart.
A research study conducted on 70,000 people over a period of ten years, revealed that there is association between sleep heart problems. It was noted that those who routinely sleep less than six hours or more than nine hours were at increased risk of developing heart attacks. Although it is rather perplexing that sleeping less or more increases risk, the study clearly suggests an association between sleep and heart. Excessive daytime sleepiness affects work efficiency and could potentially lead to work related accidents. All of the above symptoms suggest and underlying problem called sleep Apnea, which is very strongly link to heart problems. Above 30 to 40 per cent of patients with high blood pressure have undiagnosed sleep Apnea. In fact, the Joint National Committee of National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of USA recommends screening for sleep Apnea in patients with hypertension, particularly if uncontrolled. The reverse is also true, and even more strongly.
Fifty to Sixty percent of patients with sleep Apnea have associated hypertension, which is better controlled once sleep apnea is treated. While obesity and sleep apnea are strongly associated, we should note that Indian context, several non-obese individuals are also noted to have sleep apnea.
In fact, heart failure society of