If Youre Having Surgery, Learn the Heart Risks Linked to Sleep Apnea

This common disorder, in which you temporarily stop breathing many times during sleep, can lead to serious cardiovascular complications after surgery.

Published: June 4, 2015

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can be a health risk even under normal circumstances. The common sleep disorder is linked to higher risks of hypertension, heart disease, abnormal heart rhythms (arrythmias) and stroke.But if you have sleep apnea and youre having surgery, the odds of developing those and other problems is even greater, says Silvia Neme-Mercante, MD, a sleep disorder specialist at Cleveland Clinic.