Researchers have already been able to show the link between Obstructive Sleep Apnea and a variety of health problems, including stroke. A new animal study is showing exactly how big of an effect sleep apnea has on the brain’s arteries.
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) occurs when a person stops breathing off and on during sleep. At the Baylor College of Medicine, researchers induced OSA in mice by actually closing their airways, subjecting them to the physical effects of OSA. The induced sleep apnea occurred 30 times and hour (each time for 10 seconds) during the mice’s 8 hours of sleep.
In just a month, the mice’s “cerebral vessel dilatory function” decreased as much as 22%. That finding means that the blood vessels in the brain weren’t working as well as they were supposed, increasing the risk of having a stroke.
It is important to see a physician if you suspect that you have the sleep disorder. Another study suggests that having more than 5 episodes of sleep apnea a night is linked with having a silent stroke. Speak with your doctor about a CPAP machine to assist in the treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea!
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