Here’s another reason why it’s so important to get a good night’s sleep. Doctors say it’s good for your heart. People who suffer from sleep apnea are putting themselves at risk.

“People who have obstructive sleep apnea, they tend to have very high risk for hypertension, very high risk for sudden cardiac death, and also risk for atrial fibrillations,” says Dr. Murali Muppala.

Dr. Murali Muppala is a cardiologist with Lee Memorial Health System. He asks patients whether they snore or wakeup frequently. Apnea is a sleep disorder where people stop breathing momentarily. In severe cases it can happen more than 30 times per hour.

“Even though they try to breathe, there’s not air movement into the lungs. In the process there’s a decreased oxygen level in the blood and also increased carbon dioxide level and it makes people arousable. They wake up and they snore and the airway opens again,” says Dr. Muppala.

Sleep apnea is associated with obesity; it’s more common in men and increases with age. Signs to look out for are snoring, restlessness during the night, excessive sleepiness during the day and morning headaches.

“It’s very important for you to talk to your doctor and see whether you have obstructive sleep apnea and have it taken care of immediately, so that your risk of having high blood pressure or atrial fibrillation or sudden cardiac death risk will be minimized,” says Dr. Muppala.

Sleep apnea is present in 50% of people with heart failure and AFib. Losing weight and utilizing a CPAP breathing device should help control the condition. And may help you avoid heartbreak.



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Lee Memorial Health System in Fort Myers, FL is the largest network of medical care facilities in Southwest Florida and is highly respected for its expertise, innovation and quality of care. For nearly a century, we’ve been providing our community with everything from primary care treatment to highly specialized care services and robotic assisted surgeries.

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