A study by researchers at the Boston University School of Medicine found that men under 70 who struggle with sleep apnea are 68% more likely to develop heart disease and even die earlier.
This is not the case for men or women over 70. Dr. Daniel J. Gottlieb and colleagues studied the cases of 1,927 men and 2,945 women over 40 who had no cardiovascular problems.
They were all already participating in other studies that focused on issues that affect the heart. 24% of male participants and 11% of the women suffered from sleep apnea. None were receiving treatment for the disorder.
Finally, the study showed that when other risk factors were eliminated, men between the ages of 40 to 70 who experience 30 or more apnea episodes per hour of sleep are more likely to suffer a heart attack, to need a coronary artery opened or to die of heart disease during the average 8.7 years of follow-up.