Being propped up in bed 'reduces the risk of sudden death from heart problems'

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Heavy snorers are more at risk from sudden death from heart problems
Risk is particularly high for people who sleep on their back, experts say
But using pillows to raise chest to a 45° angle while sleeping cuts heart risk

By Ben Spencer, Medical Correspondent For The Daily Mail

Published: 04:58 EST, 31 August 2015 | Updated: 09:03 EST, 31 August 2015

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If you are a heavy snorer, buying a few extra pillows may save your life.

Your nocturnal drone is already likely to irritate your other half, but researchers have warned that heavy snorers are more at risk from sudden death from heart problems - particularly if they sleep on their back.

New tests found that sleeping flat can be hazardous for people with sleep apnoea - which causes snoring and dangerous pauses in breathing at night.

But using pillows to raise the chest to a 45 degree angle while sleeping cuts the heart risk, say researchers.

Heavy snorers are more at risk from sudden death from heart problems - particularly if they sleep on their back, new research warns

At least half a million Britons have sleep apnoea, which is most often found in middle-aged, overweight men, and many also suffer from heart failure.

The sleep disorder is already linked with obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.

Doctors advise sufferers to get treated for the disorder, as it may reduce the risk of developing related illnesses by maintaining oxygen levels at night.

According to research presented at the European Society of Cardiology Congress in London yesterday, people with sleep apnoea are at greater risk of fatal heart rhythm abnormalities including sudden cardiac death.

But raising the chest and head 45 degrees from the horizontal at night markedly reduces the chance of severe problems.

Researchers carried out a series of tests in 30 patients with heart failure and sleep apnoea who had their heart and sleeping patterns monitored in a laboratory.

The scientists, from Ege University in Izmir, Turkey, found that sleeping in a semi recumbent position - at a 45-degree angle on the back - lessens the chances of developing cardiac arrhythmias when compared to sleeping flat on the back.

Heart rhythm irregularities are believed to trigger sudden cardiac death in these patients, aggravated by the underlying lack of oxygen in the bloodstream caused by the sleep disorder.

Sleep apnoea causes the muscles in the airway to collapse during sleep, which cuts off breathing for at least ten seconds before brain signals cause contraction of the muscles which re-open the airway and restore oxygen supplies.

However using pillows to raise the chest to a 45° angle while sleeping cuts the heart risk

Professor Francesco Cappuccio, cardiologist at the University of Warwick, said: ‘In patients with heart failure, sleep apnoea can become more frequent and given the vulnerability of the heart, sleep apnoea is a potential trigger for a number of events, including sudden cardiac death.

‘Unlike sleeping in the supine position, sleeping at a 45-degree angle on the back could be beneficial, as there will be less pressure on the airways.’

The study also confirmed that continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a breathing machine that helps maintain air pressure in the airways, is the best treatment for sleep apnoea and reduces the risk of developing cardiac arrhythmias.

Sleeping at 45 degrees led to fewer episodes of sleep apnoea, more oxygen in the blood and fewer arrthymias - 36 were recorded during the tests compared with 46 when the patients were sleeping flat.

The number of arrhythmias fell to 16 among those using CPAP treatment.

CPAP requires the patient to wear a mask over their nose during sleep when a bedside blower unit pumps a steady stream of air through the mask, ensuring the throat remains open and the patient gets a full night’s sleep.

NHS guidelines encourage the use of CPAP for sufferers with severe and moderate symptoms, while people with mild symptoms may also be eligible if they have not improved after lifestyle changes.