Study: Smokers are more likely to have sleep apnea

London-Sana

A recent British study revealed that smokers are more at risk from sleep apnea due to excessive amounts of nicotine in the blood.

And the study, conducted by scientists at the Heart Research Institute “HRI” and published by “Today UK News”, established a relationship between the amounts of nicotine in the blood and the amount of time during which oxygen is reduced during sleep, indicating that the increased level of nicotine is one of the main reasons for the occurrence of severe apnea.

The lead researcher in the study, Dr. John O'Sullivan, said that for every cigarette a smoker consumes, the oxygen in the blood drops dangerously, as smoking causes an increase in the time during which the blood is saturated with oxygen by less than 90 percent, which increases the possibility of death from cardiovascular disease.

In their study, the researchers were able for the first time to determine the effect of smoking on nighttime oxygen concentrations in people with obstructive sleep apnea, based on accurate measurements associated with blood metabolic levels that are more accurate than self-reported questionnaires, O'Sullivan noted.

It is noteworthy that the incidence of obstructive sleep apnea reaches one person in four adults, and although it is common, its consequences and interactions with other diseases are still not well understood and need further studies.