Daytime Napping Tied to Atrial Fibrillation Risk

Daytime Napping Tied to Atrial Fibrillation Risk

Researchers in Spain have found an association between the length of a daytime nap and the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AF). The authors note that previous research has identified a potential relationship between sleep patterns and AF – but not between AF and napping.  The finding was presented by Jesus Diaz-Gutierrez, MD, of Juan Ramon Jimenez University Hospital,…

Nightly OSA Variability Linked to Uncontrolled Hypertension
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Nightly OSA Variability Linked to Uncontrolled Hypertension

Poorly managed sleep apnea can lead to uncontrolled high blood pressure, and those most at risk have wide-ranging variability in their night-to-night OSA severity. This can be overlooked or misdiagnosed during standard clinical testing, a study from Flinders University, Adelaide, Australia warns.   Standard OSA testing generally is done over a single night in a sleep lab. Given the reported…

OSA May Trigger Earlier Cognitive Decline in Men
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OSA May Trigger Earlier Cognitive Decline in Men

A new small study suggests that obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) could cause cognitive decline at an earlier age in men.  “We show poorer executive functioning and visuospatial memory and deficits in vigilance, sustained attention, and psychomotor and impulse control in men with OSA,” said neuropsychiatrist Ivana Rosenzweig from King’s College London. UK. “Most of these deficits had previously been ascribed to comorbidities,” she added. “We also…