Researchers find snoring to be associated with higher risk of high blood pressure

According to a recent Mendelian randomization analysis, sleep apnea and snoring are associated with increased risk of hypertension and CAD (coronary artery disease). The study, conducted by researchers at Sun Yat-sen University in Guangzhou, China, included over 500,000 participants, of whom some had genetic markers for sleep apnea or snoring. The results showed that sleep apnea and snoring were positively associated with hypertension and CAD, however, this association was partially driven by BMI (body mass index).

The researchers found that after adjusting for BMI, the association was no longer significant. The study also found that sleep apnea and snoring were not associated with atrial fibrillation, heart failure, or stroke.

Hypertension was associated with elevated risk for sleep apnea, however, the false discovery rate was greater than .05. The researchers state that this is the first study of its kind to examine the effect of snoring and sleep apnea on multiple cardiovascular disease outcomes. They suggest that intensive control of hypertension may be beneficial for individuals with severe sleep apnea, as it may help mitigate the risk.

References:

Liptak, H. (2023, January 28). Sleep apnea, snoring may increase CAD, hypertension risk; relationship influenced by BMI. Healio. Retrieved January 31, 2023, from https://www.healio.com/news/cardiology/20230126/sleep-apnea-snoring-may-increase-cad-hypertension-risk-relationship-influenced-by-bmi