The link between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and cardiovascular disease is increasing in awareness amongst researchers and clinicians worldwide. Evidence has established that sleep apnea is associated with hypertension, atrial fibrillation (AFib), coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure and stroke. According to the widely cited Wisconsin Sleep Cohort Study published in 1993, 4% of middle-aged men and 2% of middle-aged women (ages 30-60 years) have OSA. An update published in 2013 now suggests that the current prevalence estimates of moderate to severe OSA are 10% among 30–49-year-old men; 17% among 50–70-year-old men; 3% among 30–49-year-old women; and 9% among 50–70 year-old women. (source)
Obstructive sleep apnea, or OSA, is a dangerous, chronic disease that involves the repeated collapse of the upper airway during sleep. A report commissioned by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine estimates that OSA affects nearly 30 million American adults, with an estimated 23.5 million of them currently undiagnosed. Untreated OSA has been linked to an increased risk for numerous health problems, and it is extremely common in people who have CVD. (source)