Apnea increases stroke, death risks

Obstructive sleep apnea, in which the throat closes off throughout the night, at least doubles the risk of stroke or death, a study released Wednesday showed.

The seven-year study led by Dr. Klar Yaggi of Yale University found that people with apnea were twice as likely to die or have a stroke.

The risk more than tripled among volunteers with the worst apnea. The study was published in the New England Journal of Medicine.