According to a recent American Heart Association (AHA) Rapid Access Journal Report, people who have surgeries to reopen blocked heart arteries to remedy acute coronary syndrome (ACS) may have greater risks related to heart health if they have sleep disorders.
These sleep disorders, like sleep apnea, increase patients’ chances of heart failure, death, stroke and heart attack. ACS is a single term to describe several conditions that limit the heart's ability to receive sufficient blood, due to blockages.
“Sleep-disordered breathing, which includes snoring and sleep apnea, has long been recognized as an important risk factor for heart disease,” Toru Mazaki, study author, said. “However, there is limited awareness of sleep-disordered breathing among cardiologists who care for PCI patients.”
Because of this connection, health professionals and researchers may be able to predict significant cardiovascular events after patients have undergone angioplasty.
“Our findings suggest that sleep-disordered breathing is an important risk factor for stroke, heart failure and more after PCI for acute coronary syndrome,” Mazaki said. “Doctors and patients should consider sleep studies post-PCI to rule out sleep-disordered breathing or take necessary precautions to restore healthy breathing during sleep.”
