How can sleep apnea affect heart health?

October 16, 2023

Providence Heart & Vascular Team

[4 MIN READ]

In this article:

Most often associated with snoring, sleep apnea is a condition that causes your breathing to stop and start during sleep – often dozens of times per hour. The most common type of sleep apnea is obstructive sleep apnea, in which the airway gets blocked during sleep and limits the flow of oxygen.

Obstructive sleep apnea is closely linked with heart disease. Sleep apnea causes spikes in blood pressure, leading to an increased risk of heart attack and stroke.

Learn how sleep apnea affects your heart health, how to know if you have sleep apnea and when to see a physician for care.

If you or a loved one are experiencing chest discomfort, shortness of breath, pain or any other signs of distress, please call 911. Talk to your doctor before making any major changes to your lifestyle, medications or activity levels.

You might not know if you snore during sleep, but your partner, family members and anyone who has slept in the same room with you are probably well aware. While snoring can cause restlessness, increase fatigue and be simply irritating for those around you, severe snoring might also be a sign of sleep apnea – a disorder that is tightly linked with cardiovascular disease.

Sleep apnea is a condition in which your breathing stops and starts during sleep. Obstructive sleep apnea, where the airway gets blocked and limits the flow of oxygen to the body, is the most common kind of sleep apnea. People with obstructive sleep apnea have a higher risk of developing heart disease.

“The stress that sleep apnea puts on your body can impact your heart, muscles and vessels in negative ways,” says Providence cardiologist John W. Waggoner, M.D. “Over time, if left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to bigger problems for your heart, including a higher risk of a heart attack.”

How does sleep apnea increase the risk of heart disease?

Patients with obstructive sleep apnea repeatedly stop breathing during sleep, with some pausing their breathing more than 30 times each hour. Every time breathing stops, oxygen levels drop and the body responds by releasing a stress hormone called epinephrine (adrenaline). For patients with sleep apnea, this constant release of stress hormones over time can lead to high blood pressure and heart disease.

“Our bodies’ stress response is an important one, but it shouldn’t be running all the time – especially while we are resting,” Dr. Waggoner says.

Sleep apnea has been associated with increased risk for:

Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat), including atrial fibrillation

Heart attack
Heart failure
High LDL (bad) cholesterol
Stroke

How do I know if I have sleep apnea?

Like heart disease, sleep apnea is extremely common. Around 1 in 5 adults experience some form of sleep apnea. The two conditions also have common risk factors, including obesity, older age, tobacco use and alcohol consumption.

Loud snoring is the most common symptom of sleep apnea (though not all snorers have sleep apnea). Other signs include:

Dry mouth

Headache
Insomnia (not being able to sleep)
Irritability
Night sweats
Stopping and starting breathing or gasping for air during sleep

When to see a physician for sleep apnea care

If you believe you have sleep apnea – especially if it is impacting your ability to function – it’s important to talk to your doctor. Your doctor will talk through your symptoms and may recommend a sleep study to better understand your sleep patterns.

If you do have sleep apnea, your physician might recommend treatments including:

Mouthpieces to help keep the airway open
Nasal sprays to stop or reduce snoring
Positive airway pressure (PAP) devices, including continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines to maintain airflow
Weight loss to reduce the pressure on the throat

“It’s important to understand if you have sleep apnea and how it might impact other aspects of your health,” says Dr. Waggoner. “Starting treatment won’t just help your sleep, but your heart as well.”