Virend Somers, M.D., Ph.D., a cardiologist at Mayo Clinic, is the chair of the joint statement writing committee for a joint statement from the American Heart Association and the American College of Cardiology saying that medical researchers need to undertake large-scale studies to determine the exact relationship between heart disease and the different forms of sleep apnea.
The statement will be published online in Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association and the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. Full News Release (PDF)
Dr. Somers says the cause and effect relationship between sleep apnea and heart disease still needs to be determined.
Dr. Somers explains that more research is needed to show that treating sleep apnea will actually help heart disease factors.
Dr. Somers says that understanding co-existing conditions is key to research efforts.
