New research has found high rates of sleep apnea in women, despite the condition usually being regarded as a disorder predominantly of males.
The study, published online (August 16, 2012) ahead of print in the European Respiratory Journal, also suggested that women with hypertension and/or obesity were more likely to experience sleep apnea.
In this new study, researchers from Uppsala and Umeå University in Sweden aimed to investigate the frequency and risk factors of sleep apnea in women.
The study analyzed 400 women from a random sample of 10,000 women aged 20-70 years. The participants answered a questionnaire and underwent a sleep examination.
The results found that obstructive sleep apnea was present in 50% of women aged 20-70 years. The researchers also found links between age, obesity, and hypertension: 80% of women with hypertension and 84% of obese women suffered from sleep apnea.
Additionally, severe sleep apnea was present in 31% of obese women aged 55-70 years old.
Lead author Professor Karl Franklin said: "We were very surprised to find such a high occurrence of sleep apnea in women, as it is traditionally thought of as a male disorder. These findings suggest that clinicians should be particularly aware of the association between sleep apnea and obesity and hypertension, in order to identify patients who could also be suffering from the sleeping disorder."
