Sleep apnea can drastically raise your risk of premature death. The latest research findings also suggest that sleep apnea not only reduces your HDL cholesterol levels but can increase your LDL cholesterol levels.
Researchers from the University of Gothenburg worked to investigate the association between sleep apnea and cholesterol by reviewing medical data of nearly 8,600 patients. The patients had no history of high cholesterol, but many patients had high cholesterol unknowingly.
The researchers considered other factors such as abdominal obesity and body mass index.
Dr. Ludger Grote explained, “Our data clearly suggest that sleep apnea may have a negative impact on lipid levels, which may in part explain the association between sleep apnea and increased risk for cardiovascular disease.”
It is still unclear as to how or why sleep apnea contributes to high cholesterol, but the research does raise awareness of an association between the two, which doctors should consider when dealing with sleep apnea patients.
You may not know that you have sleep apnea, but some symptoms include snoring, jaw pain, headache, and feelings of tiredness regardless of how long you slept. Sleep apnea is most common among men, in those of older age, those with high blood pressure, and overweight individuals. If you suspect you have sleep apnea, you can undergo a sleep test, where you will be monitored throughout the night.
Sleep apnea is treatable, along with high cholesterol, so being diagnosed can help you obtain treatment.
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