What is the Connection Between Sleep Apnea and Death?

There is a preponderance of evidence that sleep apnea and death are related in a variety of ways. Sleep apnea is stop-breathing episodes that occur while sleeping and cause different physiological changes that do more than affect sleep. These physiological changes have been linked to increased mortality from conditions like heart disease, diabetes and stroke. Poor sleep is also connected to depression and to changes in alertness levels, such as when driving, which may risk one's life during the day. Additionally, sleep apnea in infants increases risk for sudden infant death syndrome.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) published one of the most striking studies connecting sleep apnea and death in 2009. In this study, conducted over several years, information collected showed that people with moderate to severe sleep apnea of varying types were almost 50% more likely to die than people without the condition. Death could be of any cause and wasn’t necessarily related to other risk factors for serious illness like obesity or smoking. The researchers concluded that sleep apnea and death are directly related, instead of only bearing a casual or correlative relationship to each other.

Other recent studies suggest one of the reasons why this condition is so risky. Sleep apnea causes the brain to have trouble regulating blood flow because flow to the brain slows down during sleep. At the same time, blood pressure in the person with sleep apnea increases. Over time, this can impair the brain’s ability to adequately manage blood flow, and it creates an undeniable connection between sleep apnea and death. This scenario can directly lead to conditions like stroke or it can fuel development of cardiovascular disease and high blood pressure at all times, while increasing risk for heart attack. These serious complications all increase mortality rate.

There are side effects of sleep apnea that increase risk for death, too. Inadequate sleep is a predictor for severe depression, and a risk of depression is suicide. Poor sleep also makes people poor drivers, and a 2007 study on sleep apnea and death shows that people with the condition are more likely to be involved in serious or fatal car accidents.

It’s been well established that sleep apnea in infants poses exceptional danger. It is thought to be a cause of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDs). In infants, lowered blood flow can lead to extremely low heart rate levels that may result in the heart stopping.

These studies suggest sleep apnea and death are undoubtedly connected and the disease needs to be taken seriously. Many people don’t get treatment, and unfortunately it’s not always clear that treatment lowers all risks for death from various causes. Treatment certainly helps to some degree and is highly advised because of this condition’s potential for mortality.