Obstructive sleep apnea may be a risk factor for developing abdominal aortic aneurysms, according to researchers from the University of Missouri School of Medicine and NextGen Precision Health. " Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Facilitates the Development of Angiotensin II-Induced Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm in Male Mice " was recently published in the Journal of Applied Physiology . Abdominal aortic aneurysms occur when the main artery, the aorta, swells and potentially ruptures, causing life-threatening internal bleeding.
Obstructive sleep apnea is typically a chronic condition where people repeatedly stop and start breathing while sleeping and can increase the risk of developing cardiovascular problems. Citing studies that indicate a higher prevalence of abdominal aortic aneurysms in patients with obstructive sleep apnea , MU researchers examined the link between the two using mouse models. The research team found that intermittent hypoxia—when the body isn't getting enough oxygen for a given period of time—caused by obstructive sleep apnea increased the susceptibility of mice to develop abdominal aortic aneurysms.
"Chronic intermittent hypoxia by itself is not enough to cause abdominal aortic aneurysms, but for a patient with obstructive sleep apnea who also has additional metabolic problems like obesity, our findings suggest it may help degrade aortic structures and promote aneurysm development," said Luis Martinez-Lemus, study author and a professor of medical pharmacolo.