Loud Snoring Linked to Cardiovascular Risk

Loud snoring with breathing pauses is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease and increased healthcare needs, a Hungarian study found.

Dr. Marta Novak of the Institute of Behavioral Sciences at Semmelweis University in Budapest focused on interviews with 12,643 Hungarian individuals. Interviews were carried out in the homes of the participants and questions about snoring were asked.

The study, published in the journal Sleep, found loud snorers had 40 percent greater odds of having hypertension, 34 percent greater odds of having a heart attack, 67 percent greater odds of having a stroke, compared with people who do not snore after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, diabetes, education, smoking and alcohol consumption. Loud snoring was also associated with increased use of healthcare resources such as emergency visits and hospitalization.

Quiet snoring was associated only with an increased risk for hypertension in women, Novak said.

The likelihood of snoring may increase with drinking alcohol, using muscle relaxers, using drugs and smoking.