Insomnia patients 69% more likely to have a heart attack, a research

INA - SOURCES 

People who suffer from insomnia were 69% more likely to have a heart attack compared to those who didn't have the sleep disorder during an average nine years of follow-up, according to new research being presented at the American College of Cardiology's Annual Scientific Session Together With the World Congress of Cardiology. In addition, when looking at sleep duration as an objective measure of insomnia, researchers found that people who clocked five or fewer hours of sleep a night had the greatest risk of experiencing a heart attack. People with both diabetes and insomnia had a twofold likelihood of having a heart attack.

"Insomnia is the most common sleep disorder, but in many ways it's no longer just an illness, it's more of a life choice. We just don't prioritize sleep as much as we should," said Yomna E. Dean, a medical student at Alexandria University in Alexandria, Egypt, and author of the study. "Our study showed that people with insomnia are more likely to have a heart attack regardless of age, and heart attacks occurred more often in women with insomnia."

Dean and her research team are hopeful that the current study will help draw attention to the role that sleep disorders may play in heart health. Insomnia may include trouble falling asleep, staying asleep or getting good quality sleep. Growing in prevalence, insomnia is estimated to affect 10% to 30% of American adults, affecting women more than men. While studies have linked insomnia to cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, this analysis is the largest to date.

"Based on our pooled data, insomnia should be considered a risk factor for developing a heart attack, and we need to do a better job of educating people about how dangerous [lack of good sleep] can be," Dean said.