Sleep apnea syndrome is closely related to many heart diseases. Sleep apnea can be fatal. Sleep apnea is responsible for most deaths due to cardiovascular disease. Symptoms of sleep apnea syndrome include:
Loud snoring
Watching bed partners experience breathing difficulties while sleeping
waking up in the morning
Waking up with dry mouth in the morning
Feeling the need to sleep during the day
Hypertension: It has been understood that high blood pressure, which is a disease of our age, and sleep apnea syndrome, which is a popular disease of today, are related to each other. More than half of patients with sleep apnea syndrome have hypertension. As the severity of sleep apnea increases, the frequency of hypertension also increases. Patients’ blood pressure is quite high towards the morning hours, and typically most patients complain that their high blood pressure is not fully controlled despite one or more blood pressure medications.
With the diagnosis and treatment of sleep apnea syndrome, the blood pressure medications used by the patients usually start to become excessive, the dosage of the blood pressure medication of the patients is sometimes reduced and sometimes completely discontinued.
Heart attack and coronary artery disease: The close relationship between sleep apnea syndrome and coronary heart disease and heart attack is well defined. Sleep apnea syndrome was found in 35-65% of patients who had a heart attack. When the 5-year survival time of the patients with sleep apnea and treated coronary heart disease was examined compared to the untreated patients, it was found that there was a 6.5-fold difference between the death rates.
Arrhythmia (heart rhythm disorder): Patients with sleep apnea syndrome often have a heart rhythm disorder. Different rhythm disorders can be observed, ranging from simple forms to the most serious forms of heart rhythm disorders.
Heart failure: If sleep apnea syndrome is not treated, it can lead to heart failure. Sleep apnea also complicates the treatment of heart failure. A separate sleep disorder called Cheyne Stokes breathing is also seen due to heart failure.
Pulmonary hypertension (Pulmonary hypertension): Pulmonary hypertension usually develops due to chronic bronchitis. However, sleep apnea syndrome also causes pulmonary hypertension. It is thought that the repetitive decrease in blood oxygen level during the night is responsible for this disease.
