Can Snoring Kill?
Dental Surgeons Say They've Found Why Snoring Can Kill.
Snoring Can Indicate Serious Upper Airway Disorders.
Blocked Airways Increase Blood Pressure, Damaging Arteries and Leading To Stroke.
WASHINGTON (Reuters)
Dental surgeons have discovered why snoring can kill: it can actually cause damage to your arteries.
Although considered harmless, snoring can actually indicate a serious medical condition called sleep apnea.
Marked by irregular breathing, sleep apnea often causes sufferers to stop breathing completely for several seconds and has even been linked to heart disease and stroke in a few patients.
"When persons with sleep apnea fall asleep, their tongue falls back into their throat, blocking their airway,"
Dr. Arthur Friedlander, an oral surgeon who worked on the study conducted at University of California's School of Dentistry, said in a recent statement.
"As they struggle for breath, their blood pressure soars... This rise in blood pressure damages the inner walls of the carotid arteries lining the sides of the neck," he added.
"Cholesterol and calcium stick to the injury sites and amass into calcified plaques, which block blood flow to the brain. The result is often a massive stroke."
According to Dr. Friedlander, these deposits of calcium deposits are simply the tip of the iceberg.
"The X-ray can't show the true size of the plaque, which is also made up of fat, platelets, and other soft tissue."
When a person is suffering from sleep apnea, air cannot flow in or out of the nose or mouth. Oxygen is not taken in, so carbon dioxide builds to dangerous levels in the blood.
"It's like pressing a pillow over someone's face" - Friedlander said.
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