Snorers at Greater Risk of Stroke

Sleep apnea is linked to an increased risk of stroke, and snoring is an important symptom of sleep apnea, although it’s not essential for the diagnosis. So it’s not surprising that some researchers felt it would be useful to explore the relationship between snoring and stroke a little deeper.

The study, done in Australia and reported in the journal Sleep, employed data from 110 volunteers who spent the night in a sleep lab, where the frequency, strength, and duration of snoring could be measured. The subjects comprised snorers and non-snorers with only mild obstructive sleep apnea, not producing oxygen-lack; their ages ranged from 45 to 80. The presence of carotid artery atherosclerosis – a precursor to thrombotic stroke – was measured by ultrasound, and compared with results from the femoral arteries.

The participants were classified into mild, moderate, and heavy snorers. After adjustments for possible interfering factors (age, sex, smoking history, high blood pressure), it was found that the prevalence of carotid atherosclerosis was 20% with mild snoring, 32% with moderate snoring, and 64% with heavy snoring. There was no such effect of snoring on femoral artery atherosclerosis.

This study provides important guidance for heavy snorers – have yourself checked for the existence of sleep apnea, and, if necessary, actual carotid atherosclerosis. Both the former and the latter can be reversed by appropriate treatment.