It is often hard to differentiate between snoring and a serious medical condition known as sleep apnea. However, skin and health are definitive symptoms of sleep apnea if you know what to look for. Snoring, for instance, is a distracting occurrence caused by vibrations from fatty tissues rubbing against the back of the throat.

Sleep apnea is much more serious and may be recognize by the presence of heavy snoring, pauses between breaths, etc. A spouse may be the best source of information relating to these, but the apnea sufferer will instantly recognize the absence of breath through the night.

One of the symptoms of sleep apnea is the complete loss of air on multiple occasions throughout the night. It is a known fact that sufferers actually stop breathing on more than on occasion.

As a result, the sufferer may awake short of breath, choking or gasping for air, etc. They may not realize what has happened at first, but may start to recognize a pattern of shortness of breath and discomfort during the night.

Sleep apnea is often recognized in other ways, such as dark circles under eyes and puffy eye bags. One of the less obvious symptoms of sleep apnea is fatigue, which is also present in so many other ailments. Fatigue exists due to the disruption of sleep and/or inability to fall asleep. Additional symptoms of sleep apnea may include headaches, the inability to concentrate on everyday activities, exhaustion, irritability, etc.

The symptoms of sleep apnea are noticeable if you are familiar with them. However, even if symptoms of sleep apnea are present, only a physician can properly diagnose the disorder. A series of questions and a sleep study may be ordered during the evaluation period.

It is very important to receive an early diagnosis because, if left untreated, sleep apnea can lead to other serious medical conditions. Among them, heart disease, an increased risk of a stroke and more.

This article is intended for informational purposes only. It should not be used as, or in place of, professional medical advice. Before beginning any treatment for snoring, please consult a doctor for a proper diagnosis and remedy

Cholesterol, like fat, cannot move around the bloodstream on its own because it does not mix with water. The bloodstream carries cholesterol in particles called lipoproteins that are like blood-borne cargo trucks delivering cholesterol to various body tissues to be used, stored or excreted. But too much of this circulating cholesterol can injure arteries, especially the coronary ones that supply the heart. This leads to accumulation of cholesterol-laden “plaque” in vessel linings, a condition called atherosclerosis.

When blood flow to the heart is impeded, the heart muscle becomes starved for oxygen, causing chest pain (angina). If a blood clot completely obstructs a coronary artery affected by atherosclerosis, a heart attack (myocardial infarction) or death can occur.

Are you at risk? Cardiovascular disease is still one of the greatest health problem affecting western countries. According to the American Heart Foundation, over 70 million Americans have cardiovascular disease (CVD). The national cost of is nearly $400 billion and every 45 seconds an American has a stoke.

Certain risk factors increase your chances of developing cardiovascular disease.

1. Overweight
2. High blood cholesterol
3. Insufficient physical activity
4. High blood pressure
5. Smoking
6. Excessive alcohol intake
7. Diabetes

Many people have multiple risk factors for heart disease and the level of risk increases with the number of risk factors. By reducing these risk factors you can largely prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease. On its own elevated blood cholesterol is not necessarily a problem, but coupled with one or more other risk factors for heart disease, it is often the straw that breaks the camel’s back.

It is, therefore, very important to know what your cholesterol levels are and to keep them at a healthy level before you have any problems.

<b>High risk cholesterol</b>
If your total cholesterol level is 240 or more, it’s definitely high. You have a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. In fact, you should have your LDL and HDL cholesterol tested. Ask your doctor for advice. Close to 20 percent of the U.S. population has high blood cholesterol levels.

<b>Borderline-high risk</b>
People whose total cholesterol is 200 to 239 mg/dL have borderline-high cholesterol. About a third of American adults are in this group, while almost half of adults have total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL. In fact, people who have a total cholesterol of 240 mg/dL have twice the risk of coronary heart disease as people whose cholesterol level is 200 mg/dL. Does physical activity affect cholesterol?

Other factors that affect blood cholesterol levels:

<b>Heredity</b> – High cholesterol often runs in families. Even though specific genetic causes have been identified in only a minority of cases, genes still play a role in influencing blood cholesterol levels. If your parents have high cholesterol, you need to be tested to see if your cholesterol levels are also elevated.

<b>Age and gender</b> – Before menopause, women tend to have total cholesterol levels lower than men at the same age. Cholesterol levels naturally rise as men and women age. Menopause is often associated with increases in LDL cholesterol in women.

<b>Stress</b> – Studies have not shown stress to be directly inked to cholesterol levels. But experts say that because people sometimes eat fatty foods to console themselves when under stress, this can cause higher blood cholesterol.

<b>Excess weight </b>– Being overweight tends to increase blood cholesterol levels. Losing weight has been shown to help lower levels. A greater risk of increased cholesterol levels occurs when that extra weight is centered in the abdominal region, as opposed to the legs or buttocks.

Although 73 percent of women know how to prevent heart disease, many are unaware of how to treat it once a diagnosis has been made.

In a survey of 1,979 women over age 35, only 55 percent said they understand how to treat heart disease. Respondents often incorrectly named prevention techniques such as exercise and healthy eating as treatment options, and less than 10 percent named actual treatments such as angioplasty and stent placement.

Hispanics and African-Americans, both considered high-risk groups for heart disease, were twice as likely as Caucasian women to say they did not know any treatments at all.

The survey was conducted by the “Healthy From the Heart” campaign sponsored by the National Women’s Health Resource Center and Cordis Corp. The campaign encourages women to learn about treatment options for coronary artery disease, the most common type of heart disease, so they can make better decisions if diagnosed.

“The good news is that women are aware that they are at risk for heart disease. The bad news is that they are overly confident in their ability to prevent it and treat it,” said Dr. Cindy Grines, an interventional cardiologist with William Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oaks, Mich. “Women must realize that education is the key to conquering the threat of coronary artery disease. There are a variety of treatment options now available.”

The most common procedure for treating coronary artery disease is balloon angioplasty with a coronary stent. Angioplasty widens narrowed arteries by threading a balloon-tipped catheter through the arm or groin artery to the blocked artery in the heart. The balloon is inflated to compress the plaque against the artery walls, which in turn expands the blood vessel so blood can flow more easily.

Scientific advances have led to the development of the drug-eluting stent, a tiny mesh scaffold that props the artery open while releasing small amounts of a particular drug, such as sirolimus, inside the artery over a period of time. This helps keep plaque from reforming and helps prevent repeat blockage from occurring inside the blood vessel.

Coronary bypass surgery is another treatment option. While more invasive, it is a safe and effective treatment for patients who may not qualify for angioplasty and stent insertion.