The finding is from a study presented here at the American Stroke Association's 26th International Stroke Conference. Dr. Adnan I Qureshi and colleagues from the State University of New York at Buffalo asked 1,348 adults about their sleep habits as well as their stroke risk factors such as smoking, high blood pressure and diabetes. Additionally, people who said they were sleepy during the day and had difficulty staying awake or who snored also had an increased risk of stroke. Most commonly due to upper airway obstruction, the condition can disturb sleep, leading to loud snoring, repeated near-wakening, and increased blood pressure.
Sleep apnea is associated with both obesity and high blood pressure.
But even though Qureshi and his colleagues found an association between sleep habits and stroke, they did not find a similar association between sleep and carotid artery narrowing. 1998 Reuters Ltd. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon. All rights reserved.