Liow: Heavy snorers may have sleep disorder

Star: BENTONG: Heavy snorers who experience insufficient sleep may be suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).
Health Minister Datuk Seri Liow Tiong Lai said the snoring might be a sign of OSA, which was associated with higher risks of cardiovascular diseases such as heart attacks and strokes.
“Many patients with OSA have high blood pressure, which is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases.
“It is also a leading cause for other health problems like diabetes and depression,” he told reporters after attending the Bentong Health Carnival here yesterday.
He said the condition, which was common among middle-aged men and young children with enlarged tonsils, was especially dangerous for occupational drivers as it could cause daytime lethargy and sleepiness.
Liow said currently, sleep laboratories had been set up in five hospitals in Malaysia — Putrajaya Hospital and Respiratory Medical Institute in the central region, Penang Hospital (northern region), Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital (East Coast) and Queen Elizabeth Hospital (Sabah).
Malaysian Society of Otorhino-laryngologists president Dr Yap Yoke Yeow said the laboratories would use a machine to monitor the sleeping pattern of patients.