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The hidden impact of insomnia on the risk of heart attacks and strokes

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A greater emphasis on sleep health is needed to prevent heart attacks and strokes, as new research shows insomnia is a major contributor to cardiovascular problems.

Chronic insomnia is now known to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Chronic insomnia is now known to be a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease.

Insomnia that prevents people from falling asleep or staying asleep is rampant across the world and affects millions of people. The threat to heart health has been linked to heart attacks and strokes in recent years. Hormonal fluctuations such as cortisol, which result from chronic insomnia, lead to high blood pressure and increased risk. Slowly, these changes lead to atherosclerosis, a major cause of cardiovascular events. also affects metabolism and predisposes the patient to obesity, diabetes and other conditions that also worsen cardiovascular risks.

They worsen heart health by causing mental effects such as anxiety and depression due to insomnia. Practicing unhealthy behaviors, such as an irregular diet and increased alcohol intake, is dangerous for people with heart problems. This relationship is bidirectional: patients with heart complaints complain of sleep problems and, conversely, the two maintain themselves.

According to the study, there is a link between insomnia and cardiovascular events. This is evident from a study in Sleep magazine revealed that those who had chronic insomnia were 45% more likely to develop heart disease and stroke. Such findings call for the need for sleep disorders as a public health intervention program.

Recommended treatments, including CBTI, improve the patient’s sleep patterns, minimizing potential complications such as heart-related complications. In addition, more recent drugs that act on selective receptors in the brain can ease insomnia in the short term without the harm of common placebos.

The companies of the Indian pharmaceutical industry are increasingly working to end the production of affordable drugs for insomnia and cardiovascular diseases.

However, the pharmaceutical industry plays a role in reducing these health risks by promoting awareness and early detection. Both insomnia and cardiovascular diseases are on the rise in India, and due to the associated increased risks of heart attack and stroke, respectively, both pharmacotherapy and non-pharmacological strategies should be employed to address sleep disorders.

(Inputs by Dr. Aravind Badiger, Technical Director, BDR Pharmaceuticals)

News lifestyle The hidden impact of insomnia on the risk of heart attacks and strokes

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