Feinsinger column: Sleep apnea can cause heart and other serious helath problems

Feinsinger column: Sleep apnea can cause heart and other serious helath problems

February was heart month, and this is the fourth column in a series about the primary risk factors for heart attacks. Sleep apnea refers to periodic absence of breathing during sleep. There are two types of sleep apnea:  obstructive and central. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common in people who are overweight; have a thick neck; have a receding chin; or have other conditions that can obstruct airflow when upper airway tissues relax during sl…