How to prevent sudden sleep deaths?

Experts say that 90% of sudden, unexpected deaths at night are caused by cardiac arrest, writes Eat This, Not That! 

The news portal offered a number of recommendations that can reduce the risk of dying in your sleep.

People who suffer from heart and lung disease and take medications that affect the brain are at the highest risk of dying in their sleep, Dr. Sumeet S. Chugh, medical director of the Cedars-Sinai Medical Center's Heart Rhythm Center, told the Wall Street Journal recently. He advised people in this group to talk to their doctors about reducing their risk.

With obstructive sleep apnea, people stop breathing during sleep because soft tissues block the airway. The body wakes up slightly to resume breathing, and this process is repeated several times during the night. Sleep apnea can increase the risk of heart disease and sudden cardiac arrest. The condition is treatable, but experts say that 80-90% of people with sleep apnea are undiagnosed.

Trying to "sleep through" chest pain can also be a fatal mistake. Experts note that if you experience even mild discomfort, pressure, tightness or squeezing in the chest area, pain in the neck, jaw, back or shoulders, shortness of breath or dizziness, it could be a sign of a heart attack.

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