Diabetes Linked To Sleep Apnea, Stroke
Excess Weight Gain To Blame, Says Researchers
WESTWOOD, Calif., Posted 2:45 p.m. May 1, 1999 -- Adults with obstructive sleep apnea, a condition marked by loud snoring and irregular breathing, are three times more likely to also have diabetes.
The culprit behind both conditions is being overweight, said Arthur H. Friedlander, who conducted the UCLA study that appears in the latest issue of the Journal of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery.
"The blame falls squarely on excess weight gain," Friedlander, an associate professor of oral and maxillofacial surgery at the UCLA School of Dentistry, told news wires. "This the first time that science has uncovered a link between sleep apnea and diabetes. Persons going to the doctor for a sleep-apnea exam should request that their blood be screened for diabetes, especially if they are overweight."
Surplus weight interferes with the ability of cells to absorb sugars, robbing them of needed carbohydrates, Friedlander said. Diabetes results when those unabsorbed sugars build up in the blood.
Carrying too many pounds also can lead to obstructive sleep apnea, he said. The data also suggests that someone afflicted with both diabetes and sleep apnea is more likely to suffer a stroke in the future.
Compiled by Internet Broadcasting Systems Staff
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