Researchers
have zeroed in on what they call a “novel risk factor” for strokes,
especially among the elderly: dozing during the day.
A study by
researchers at Columbia University's College of Physicians and Surgeons
has found that stroke risk was two to four-fold greater in those with
moderate dozing habits.
According to the study's lead author
Bernadette Boden-Albala, this suggests that daytime dozing "may be an
important and novel stroke risk factor".
Findings of the study were reported Thursday at the American Stroke
Association's International Stroke Conference 2008.
For the purposes of the study, dozing refers to a person unintentionally
falling asleep.
Among
the study's 2,153 participants, the risk of stroke was seen to be 2.6
times greater for those classified as doing "some dozing" compared to
those with "no dozing".
Those classified in the "significant dozing" group had a 4.5 times higher risk.
"Those
are significant numbers," said Boden-Albala. "We were surprised that
the impact was that high for such a short period of time."
In
the past, sleep scientists have found evidence that people who
experience apnea – brief periods when breathing stops during sleep –
have an increased stroke risk.
Research indicates that daytime sleepiness can result from sleeping poorly
because of night-time apnea.
After
controlling several stroke risk factors – age, race-ethnicity, sex,
education, blood pressure, diabetes, obesity and physical activity –
they found unexpectedly high stroke risks for the "some dozing" and
"significant dozing" groups compared to "no dozing".
The risk of
a heart attack or vascular death was higher – 1.6 per cent for moderate
dozers and 2.6 per cent for significant dozers.
"Given what's
known now, it's worth assessing patients for sleep problems,"
Boden-Albala said. "If patients are moderately or significantly dozing,
physicians need to think about sending them for further evaluation."
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