To print: Select File and then Print from your browser's menu --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Title: ALA/ATS MEETING: Snoring Linked To Pre-eclampsia URL: http://www.pslgroup.com/dg/F9B8E.htm Doctor's Guide April 27, 1999
SAN DIEGO, CA -- April 27, 1999 -- Snoring, often a sign of partial airway obstruction, is associated with high blood pressure in pregnancy, a dangerous condition known as pre-eclampsia, according to a study presented at the American Lung Association/American Thoracic Society International Conference. Pre-eclampsia is one of the leading causes of illness and death for pregnant women and their babies.
This study suggests that partial upper airway obstruction may be responsible for a large portion of the nighttime increase in blood pressure in pre-eclampsia, said Dr. Colin Sullivan, of the University of Sydney in Australia. The researcher added, however, that treatment may minimize the obstruction and improve nighttime blood pressure control in these women.
The study of 32 women with severe pre-eclampsia and 40 women with normal pregnancies found that snoring and partial upper airway obstruction occurred in all women with pre-eclampsia, with the highest blood pressures recorded in association with increasing partial airway obstruction.
In nine of the women with pre-eclampsia, elimination of partial upper airway obstruction with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) resulted in a marked reduction in blood pressure. CPAP is a breathing mask attached to a machine and is used during sleep to keep the airways open.
Dr. Sullivan noted that pre-eclampsia occurs in nearly 10 percent of all normal pregnancies and is the major cause of admission to the hospital during pregnancy and the major cause of infant admission to the intensive care unit. He recommended that women who are admitted to the hospital with pre-eclampsia be assessed for snoring during sleep to determine if they might be helped by CPAP treatment. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Copyright © 1999 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of P\S\L content is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of P\S\L. P\S\L shall not be liable for any errors, omissions or delays in this content or any other content on its sites, newsletters or other publications, nor for any decisions or actions taken in reliance on such content. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This news story was printed from *Doctor's Guide to the Internet* located at http://www.docguide.com --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to News Story Page This site is maintained by webmaster@pslgroup.com Please contact us with any comments, problems or bugs. All contents Copyright (c) 1998 P\S\L Consulting Group Inc. All rights reserved.