In a study conducted in Norway at Akershus University Hospital (Lorenskog), a team have investigated whether Obstructive Sleep Aponea is linked to Endothelial Dysfunction. Endothelial Dysfunction is a condition which leads to atherosclerosis, which in turn results in serious heart problems.
Investigating 71 patients, obese, or non-obese, with or without Obstructive Sleep Apnoea, the team used a brachial artery ultrasound technique to measure endothelial function through a comparison with flow-mediated dilation.
Importantly, the team discovered that Obstructive Sleep Apnoea is independently linked to Endothelial Dysfunction – that is, even when other factors are taken into account. This means that Obstructive Sleep Apnoea may be considered a risk factor for the development of heart disease, and may help in the planning of preventative care, as well as design of new therapies.
The findings are published in the British Medical Journal:
http://heart.bmj.com/content/early/2012/10/08/heartjnl-2012-303009.full