A Hidden Risk Factor for Heart Failure Identified 0 157

Vitamin D deficiency has been found to be associated with a significantly higher risk of heart failure in individuals with obstructive sleep apnea. This conclusion was reached by researchers from medical centers in Taiwan, who analyzed data from nearly 73,000 patients. The study was published in Frontiers in Nutrition.

The scientists used data from the international TriNetX database from 2010 to 2022 and compared patients with sleep apnea and severe vitamin D deficiency (less than 20 ng/ml) to those with normal vitamin levels. After adjusting the groups for age, sex, and comorbidities, it was found that with vitamin D deficiency, the risk of developing heart failure was 45 percent higher.

Additionally, such patients had higher rates of all-cause mortality, secondary pulmonary hypertension, and pulmonary artery embolism. With moderate vitamin D deficiency (20–29.9 ng/ml), the risks were lower, indicating a clear dose-dependent relationship. The effect was particularly pronounced in patients with obesity.

The authors emphasize that vitamin D may be an underestimated cardiovascular risk factor in sleep apnea. They believe that monitoring and correcting its levels in the blood could become an important addition to the prevention of heart failure in this patient group, alongside the treatment of the sleep-disordered breathing itself.