Study: Sleep Apnea Increases Stroke Risk

Obstructive sleep apnea may raise the risk of stroke, new research finds. The effect was strongest in men. The study focused on 5,400 people who were age 40 or older. All were tested to see if they had sleep apnea and how severe the condition was. During the next 9 years, 85 men and 108 women had strokes. Men with moderate to severe sleep apnea were three times as likely to have a stroke as those with mild or no sleep apnea. Women’s stroke risk increased only if their sleep apnea was severe. Researchers said the sex difference may be because men tend to develop sleep apnea at an earlier age. The study was published online in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine. HealthDay News wrote about it April 8.