Dr. Haitham Hussein

When people fall asleep, the airway that allows the air to go to the lungs sometimes collapses. The muscles of the throat relax. So the palate and the tongue can kind of collapse on each other and people start snoring. And sometimes there's a... And people not breathing for a few seconds and then... and another breath. So that's a period of apnea.

When people fall asleep, the airway that allows the air to go to the lungs sometimes collapses. The muscles of the throat relax. So the palate and the tongue can kind of collapse on each other and people start snoring. And sometimes there's a... And people not breathing for a few seconds and then... and another breath. So that's a period of apnea.

And the problem with sleep apnea is that it lowers the blood oxygen level while the person is sleeping. And the person does not feel that, but their body perceives that low oxygen as a stressful situation. So then stress hormones are released in their bodies and they don't know it and they don't feel it.

And the problem with sleep apnea is that it lowers the blood oxygen level while the person is sleeping. And the person does not feel that, but their body perceives that low oxygen as a stressful situation. So then stress hormones are released in their bodies and they don't know it and they don't feel it.

like adrenaline, and then their blood pressure is increased while they're sleeping and they don't know. Normally, we have a drop, a natural drop in our blood pressure when we fall asleep. And people with sleep apnea lose that natural drop and their blood pressure remains as their wakefulness. And then as the condition progresses, they even have higher blood pressure when they're sleeping.

like adrenaline, and then their blood pressure is increased while they're sleeping and they don't know. Normally, we have a drop, a natural drop in our blood pressure when we fall asleep. And people with sleep apnea lose that natural drop and their blood pressure remains as their wakefulness. And then as the condition progresses, they even have higher blood pressure when they're sleeping.

And if you're checking your blood pressure, you check it when you first wake up. That's always I tell my patients. Check it first thing when you wake up in the morning before you take any pills and then some other time later in the day. And I always like to compare these two numbers. And people with sleep apnea will have higher blood pressure upon awakening in the morning.

And if you're checking your blood pressure, you check it when you first wake up. That's always I tell my patients. Check it first thing when you wake up in the morning before you take any pills and then some other time later in the day. And I always like to compare these two numbers. And people with sleep apnea will have higher blood pressure upon awakening in the morning.

And so all the things tied to blood pressure, we have to really focus on and talk about. And it's not easy. You know, the amount of salt or sodium that you take also impacts your blood pressure. So it has to do with what we eat, what we drink. You know, exercise impacts blood pressure. People who exercise regularly have better blood pressure.

And so all the things tied to blood pressure, we have to really focus on and talk about. And it's not easy. You know, the amount of salt or sodium that you take also impacts your blood pressure. So it has to do with what we eat, what we drink. You know, exercise impacts blood pressure. People who exercise regularly have better blood pressure.

And then, of course, high cholesterol is an important risk factor. And it isn't always related to body weight. A lot of people have high cholesterol without being obese or overweight. So without checking, we won't know. So we have to have a primary doctor and we have to do these regular checkups to look at these risk factors.

And then, of course, high cholesterol is an important risk factor. And it isn't always related to body weight. A lot of people have high cholesterol without being obese or overweight. So without checking, we won't know. So we have to have a primary doctor and we have to do these regular checkups to look at these risk factors.

And they are the same risk factors for stroke are the same as those for heart attack. And now we know that there are also the same risk factors for dementia. You take care of your blood pressure, you protect your heart, you prevent stroke and you sustain your memory. And other things that are also modifiable risk factor we touched on is the diet and the exercise. And

And they are the same risk factors for stroke are the same as those for heart attack. And now we know that there are also the same risk factors for dementia. You take care of your blood pressure, you protect your heart, you prevent stroke and you sustain your memory. And other things that are also modifiable risk factor we touched on is the diet and the exercise. And

And so to prevent stroke, it's a matter of how we live our lives, what we eat, what we drink, how much we exercise, how much we prioritize exercising and we stay consistent with it, avoiding excessive caffeine intake, avoid excessive alcohol intake. Alcohol increases blood pressure.

And so to prevent stroke, it's a matter of how we live our lives, what we eat, what we drink, how much we exercise, how much we prioritize exercising and we stay consistent with it, avoiding excessive caffeine intake, avoid excessive alcohol intake. Alcohol increases blood pressure.

And also puts a strain on the heart, causing irregularity of the heart beating, which is another way people can have stroke. So be kind of moderate in the consumption. No smoking ever at all. Yeah, yeah.

And also puts a strain on the heart, causing irregularity of the heart beating, which is another way people can have stroke. So be kind of moderate in the consumption. No smoking ever at all. Yeah, yeah.

Yeah. There is a belt. I think there is a buckle to the center of it. Yeah. And unfortunately, it hasn't changed. We talk about the successes in stroke and reducing stroke mortality over the last 50 or 60 years. Remarkable improvement in reducing stroke mortality. But there are some failures still. One failure is that kind of regional disparity difference.

Yeah. There is a belt. I think there is a buckle to the center of it. Yeah. And unfortunately, it hasn't changed. We talk about the successes in stroke and reducing stroke mortality over the last 50 or 60 years. Remarkable improvement in reducing stroke mortality. But there are some failures still. One failure is that kind of regional disparity difference.