Dr David Smithard, Consultant in Stroke Medicine at East Kent Hospitals NHS Trust, said the American data confirmed what they knew of the links between snoring and stroke. I am not surprised, but it is nice to see that someone is taking it seriously. But the question is what can we do about it. Visit doctor Adnan Qureshi, assistant professor of neurosurgery affiliated with the University of Buffalo's Toshiba Stroke Research Centre and the lead author on the study, said people who have difficulty keeping awake should be going to their doctor. Individuals who snore severely or have trouble staying awake during the day should see a doctor to find out why.
Sleep apnoea is a condition in which breathing stops briefly and repeatedly during sleep.
This often causes snoring and frequent awakening as the sleeper quickly gasps for breath - this can lead to drowsiness during the day. Sleep apnoea has been linked to heart disease and to stroke. Professor Qureshi and his colleagues surveyed the sleeping patterns of 1,348 adults who had taken part in a stroke screening programme in Buffalo. It will be necessary to do a lot more research into this subject as there have been too few studies in this area so far. We know that there is a connection between stroke and sleep apnoea - oxygen levels drop during sleep apnoea which can increase the risk of stroke.