Insomnia Boost Risk of Heart Attack

Health & Insurance----People who have trouble sleeping have an increased risk of heart attack is higher. The relationship between insomnia and an increased risk of heart attacks is still unclear, but sleep disorders affect blood pressure and inflammation that could be a risk factor for heart attack.


"Insomnia is quite common and easily treated. It is important for people to realize the relationship between insomnia and heart attacks. We recommend that you consult with your doctor if you have a sleep disorder," said Dr. Lars Erik Laugsand, internists from the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim.


Laugsand and his team collected data on nearly 53,000 men and women who participated in a national health survey in 1995 to 1997 and were asked to answer questions about his sleep habits. The researchers also identified nearly 2,400 people who suffered a first heart attack during the next 11 years.


The researchers found that people who have trouble sleeping nearly every day had a 45 percent increased risk of heart attack, compared with those without sleep disturbances.


In addition, people who have difficulty staying asleep have 30 percent higher risk of heart attack compared with those not having difficulty staying asleep. People who do not feel refreshed after a night's sleep also has a 27 percent increased risk of heart attack, compared with that felt fresh.


According to the researchers, 33 percent of the general population has at least one symptom of insomnia. In addition, previous studies have found a smaller association between heart disease and insomnia and high blood pressure and heart attacks.


This finding was limited and the causal relationship has not been proven. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and reveal the mechanisms that might cause such a relationship.


"Previous studies have yielded mixed results and is still not known whether sleep more soundly produce a healthy heart," said Dr.. Gregg Fonarow, professor of cardiology at the University of California, Los Angeles and a spokesman for the American Heart Association.


"One possible explanation for this finding is that all the metabolic processes in the body is governed by what is called a circadian rhythm that varies between sleep-wake cycle," said Dr. Edward A. Fisher, The Leon H. Charney Professor of Cardiovascular Medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City.


"It is known that the animal is disturbed rhythm sirkadiannya risk of changes in metabolism. If this happens in humans, are at increased risk of heart disease," said Fisher.