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Posted on Oct 27, 2002, 5 a.m.
By Bill Freeman
Loud snoring might be a risk factor for stroke, say researchers from Perugia University in Italy. Professor Virgilio Gallai and his colleagues studied 416 patients, half of whom who had suffered a stroke, to investigate the link between stroke and snoring. Results revealed that 40.5% of stroke patients were habitual, loud snorers, compared with just 29.
Loud snoring might be a risk factor for stroke, say researchers from Perugia University in Italy. Professor Virgilio Gallai and his colleagues studied 416 patients, half of whom who had suffered a stroke, to investigate the link between stroke and snoring. Results revealed that 40.5% of stroke patients were habitual, loud snorers, compared with just 29.8% of healthy participants. As only a handful of stroke patients suffered from sleep apnea - a condition where the sufferer stops breathing for short periods during sleep and which is linked to increased stroke risk - the study suggests that loud snoring is also a risk factor for stroke. Gallai concluded: "This is important as it shows that not only sleep apnea, but also snoring, the kind that can be heard in the next room, can reduce the amount of oxygen that reaches the brain, putting people at risk of strokes. It means snoring will now have to be treated more seriously."
SOURCE/REFERENCE: Reported by www.reutershealth.com on the 16th October 2002
