Unaddressed sleep apnea, marked by 10-second breath pause holds risk of stroke, heart attack

KAYSERI, Türkiye

Sleep apnea syndrome, also known as not breathing during sleep, is a significant disease that can cause stroke and heart attack, according to a Neurophysiology Specialist.

Doctor Mehmet Fatih Gol, a Clinical Neurophysiology specialist, told Anadolu that snoring, cessation of breathing, and daytime sleepiness complaints strongly suggest sleep apnea.

"The patient may complain of waking up as if choking, as his breath stops. If a person has such a condition and complains of feeling sleepy while watching television, sitting in a chair, or after eating during the day, they apply to us," he said.

Gol stated that generally, if the duration of breathlessness is around 10 seconds, they accept this situation as sleep apnea or hypopnea.

"We can define sleep apnea as the patient not breathing for more than 10 seconds during sleep. Sleep apnea can lead to cardiovascular diseases, strokes, hypertension, pulmonary hypertension, heart failure, and cardiac rhythm disorders, which are the most common causes of death," he said.

He emphasized that 10 seconds of lack of breath drops oxygen levels, causes a lack of blood flow to the brain, causes hormonal disorders, and can cause vascular stiffness.

"Very rarely, sudden deaths can occur for these reasons," he added, saying that partners play a more significant role in diagnosis and treatment.

Emphasizing that patients usually apply to the hospital with the guidance of their partners, Gol said that a night sleep examination is required for a definitive diagnosis.

"By treating our patient, we treat himself and the person next to them and improve the quality of life. Of course, not every snoring means sleep apnea," he added.