London: Snorers are three times more likely to develop a potentially fatal blood clot as compared to non-snorers, according to a new study.
Researchers found that patients diagnosed with the snoring-related condition called sleep apnoea were three times as likely to develop a deep vein thrombosis (DVT) as non-snorers, the Daily Express reported.
A DVT is a blood clot in a vein, usually in the leg, which can break off and cause a life-threatening blockage in the lung, known as a pulmonary embolism.
The condition is usually linked to immobility, such as in patients lying in hospital beds for long periods after surgery or in long-haul airline passengers.
Although previous studies have suggested sleep apnoea may raise the risk of heart attacks, the latest investigation, by a team of researchers in Taiwan, is one of the first to show a link with DVTs.
An estimated three million people in Britain suffer with sleep apnoea.
The results of the research are published in the American Journal of Medicine.
ANI
