STUDY LINKS SLEEP APNEA TO HEART FAILURE MARKER; LEARN HOW YOUR DENTIST CAN HELP YOU RESTORE HEALTHY

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has already been linked to a heightened risk for health problems including hypertension, stroke and cardiac arrhythmia among other conditions. The findings of a recent study have also tied severe OSA to subclinical myocardial injury, which is an early indicator of heart damage.

If you or a loved one suffers from recurring snoring and other symptoms of sleep apnea, St. Joseph, Michigan, dentist Dr. Sven Erickson can assess your condition and recommend a treatment option based on your unique needs; many patients find success and restore healthy sleep with the use of comfortable, custom-made oral appliances. Please call Modern Dentistry Associates at 269-264-4388 to schedule your sleep apnea consultation.

Many life-threatening health risks are already associated with OSA, but research from the Brigham and Women’s Hospital is the first to directly link the severity of OSA to the type of early heart damage that can lead to heart disease and heart failure. The findings of the study were recently published in the Oct. 15 issue of the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.

The study focused on 1,645 adults who were middle-aged or older and free of heart disease at the beginning of research. Participants underwent an overnight sleep test to diagnose whether they may have OSA and to categorize it as none, mild, moderate or severe. In long-term follow-up, researchers found that the presence of sleep apnea in study participants was associated with increased levels of troponin T, a biomarker for heart failure.

Despite the potentially life-threatening health risks of OSA, sleep apnea often goes undiagnosed and untreated. If you or a loved one is losing sleep due to chronic snoring, it’s important to assess whether you may have sleep apnea.

Please contact Modern Dentistry Associates today to learn how we can help you (and your family) regain healthy, restful sleep. Dr. Erickson welcomes patients from the St. Joseph, Kalamazoo and Niles, Michigan, areas and the greater South Bend, Indiana, area.