Snoring and Cardiovascular Disease

Hypertension

People with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) frequently wake up throughout the night. As they sleep, their airway relaxes and loses muscle tone, causing it to narrow or completely close. This leads to a drop in oxygen levels. After 10 to 20 seconds—or sometimes even a minute—the body wakes the person to reopen the airway. These periods are often so brief that the person doesn't even realize they're happening, but they can occur hundreds of times each night. The decrease in oxygen and the increase in heart rate and blood pressure from these frequent awakenings strain the heart. This results in higher blood pressure during the night and, consequently, during the day as well.

Are you currently on medication for high blood pressure? It might be challenging to manage your hypertension if your sleep apnea is untreated. Addressing your sleep apnea could significantly reduce the severity of your hypertension.

Coronary Artery Disease

Coronary artery disease (CAD) occurs when arteries become constricted due to atherosclerosis, which is the buildup of fats and plaque. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) leads to a drop in blood oxygen levels and an increase in heart rate and blood pressure, forcing the heart to work harder. At the same time, OSA increases the heart's need for oxygen, while the arteries are narrowed by CAD. This leads to ischemia, a lack of blood flow. The heart tries to compensate by pumping more blood through these restricted areas, straining itself to the extent that it could lead to a heart attack.

Stroke

A stroke happens when the brain's supply of blood and oxygen is partially or completely interrupted. For someone with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), where blood flow and oxygen are already diminished, this further increases the risk of experiencing a stroke.

SLEEP IS LIKE WALKING WHEN YOU’VE BEEN RUNNING ALL DAY.

You might imagine sleep as just a welcome break, a time when everything powers down. But that's not quite right. Your body never fully switches off. Even with your eyes closed, it keeps functioning, just not as intensely.

So, what happens if your body never gets the proper break it needs when night falls and your brain signals that it's time to rest?

DO YOU SNORE? DO YOU WAKE UP TIRED OR WITH A HEADACHE? DO YOU HAVE TROUBLE CONCENTRATING?

If you answered yes to the previous questions, it's likely you're not getting a good night's sleep, and your body isn't resting as it should. Snoring and feeling tired during the day are clear signs of a more serious condition called Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA). With OSA, your airway loses its strength and collapses while you sleep, narrowing or closing completely and limiting the oxygen that reaches your body. When you have OSA, your body is always on the go; it never truly gets to rest.

Snoring can contribute to:

The majority of your night is spent in non-REM sleep stages. Here, your blood pressure and heart rate drop to levels much lower than when you are awake. This is your body’s chance for some relaxation.

Normal physiological changes occur when daylight wakes you up. Your heart begins pumping and working harder. Gradually, your heart rate and blood pressure climb.

THE CONSEQUENCE? CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE.

What are your treatment options?

Continuous Positive Air Pressure (CPAP)

CPAP is a mask that covers both the nose and mouth, worn throughout the night. The wearer usually lies on their back to keep the mask stable. This device pumps air into the nasal passages and lungs, functioning similarly to a reverse vacuum cleaner.

Some possible side effects include dry mouth, a bloated stomach, lacerations on the bridge of the nose, and sleep deprivation.

Surgery

Surgical options for treating sleep-related issues range from tonsillectomy to tongue-base surgery, with a variety of procedures in between. The invasiveness and pain levels differ from one surgery to another, as do the recovery times. The effectiveness of these surgeries varies, with success rates estimated between 30% and 50%.

Sleep Disorders Dentistry

Sleep disorders dentistry focuses on reducing respiratory distress caused by sleep-disordered breathing, such as snoring and sleep apnea.

With sleep disorders dentistry, we opt for airway oral appliances instead of the bulkier CPAP machines or less effective surgeries. These oral appliances resemble athletic mouthguards, though they are not as thick. These airway devices come in various designs, and many are FDA approved. They are non-invasive and only need to be worn at night.

To ensure the oral appliance fits correctly, we conduct two quick and completely painless tests: rhinometry and pharyngometry. We map the nasal and pharyngeal airways and use the scans they produce to help identify specific problem areas.