You are one sleep study away to protect your heart.
Checking for your index of apnoea- hypopnea may be a way to protect your heart, brain and life.
A group of researchers in China performed a cross-sectional study to investigate the associations of OSA severity- related indexes with the presence, volume and composition of coronary plaque[1].
In order to explain a little bit more about what the coronary plaque means, we need to start with the term atherosclerosis[2], which is thickening or hardening of the arteries. It is caused by a buildup of plaque in the inner lining of an artery. That plaque is made up of deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and fibrin. As it builds up in the arteries, the artery walls become thickened and stiff.
The complications of having plaque inside the arteries is that the blood flow is reduced. A heart attack may occur if the blood supply is reduced to the heart. A damaged heart muscle may not pump as well and can lead to heart failure. A stroke may occur if the blood supply is cut off to the brain. Severe pain and tissue death may occur if the blood supply is reduced to the arms and legs[3].
So, returning to the investigation the researchers found that patients with moderate to severe OSA were more likely to have coronary plaques, and plaques were more likely to contain a noncalcified plaque (NCP) component and a low-density NCP (LD NCP) component. Furthermore, the apnea-hypopnea index and oxygen desaturation index as continuous variables were both associated with the presence of plaque, NCP, and LD NCP. Multivariable linear regression models showed that moderate to severe OSA was associated with NCP volume and LD NCP volume. Moreover, the apnea-hypopnea index, oxygen desaturation index, and percentage of nighttime with oxygen saturation < 90% were all significant predictors of LD NCP volume.
They concluded that compared with those with no or mild OSA, patients with severe OSA had a significantly higher total plaque volume.
REFERENCES
[1] LU Mi, et al. Association Between OSA and Quantitative Atherosclerotic Plaque Burden. A Coronary CT Angiography Study. SLEEP: ORIGINAL RESEARCH| VOLUME 160, ISSUE 5, P1864-1874, NOVEMBER 01, 2021. Available on https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chest.2021.07.040. Consulted March 22nd 2022
[2] Atherosclerosis. Available from: https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/atherosclerosis.
[3] Ibid
