Is Snoring a Risk Factor for Stroke and Ischemic Heart Disease in Men?

Habitual snoring has been investigated as a marker of cardiovascular risk. A Finnish study published in 1987 followed men to examine subsequent heart disease and stroke. Its findings support taking persistent snoring seriously, while leaving important questions about cause and effect.

What was measured?

Koskenvuo and colleagues studied 4,388 men aged 40–69. Participants reported how often they snored. Hospital records and death certificates were then checked over three years. There were 149 cases of ischemic heart disease and 42 strokes; those figures describe disease outcomes, not 42 deaths.

What did the results show?

After adjustment for age, body mass index, hypertension history, smoking and alcohol use, habitual or frequent snorers had a relative risk of 2.08 for the combined outcome of ischemic heart disease or stroke. For ischemic heart disease alone, the adjusted relative risk was 1.71 and was not statistically significant at the conventional 5% level.

Why does the distinction matter?

A combined outcome and an individual outcome answer different questions. The study should not be described as proving every separate association. A relative risk also compares groups; it does not mean that one in a particular number of snorers will develop disease.

Because snoring was reported by questionnaire, this was not a clinical diagnosis of sleep apnea in every participant. The observational design cannot establish that the sound of snoring itself caused cardiovascular disease, or prove how much sleep apnea contributed. Adjustment reduces some alternative explanations but cannot eliminate all of them.

What should a reader do with this information?

Report persistent loud snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, gasping or daytime sleepiness to a healthcare professional. These can be signs of sleep apnea and may warrant a sleep study. Our guide to snoring symptoms that need assessment can help you prepare for that discussion.

This study did not test Asonor or any intervention to prevent cardiovascular events. Reducing snoring noise cannot be assumed to reduce the risk of stroke or heart disease, and it does not replace assessment or prescribed treatment for sleep apnea.

Sources

• Koskenvuo M and colleagues. Snoring as a risk factor for ischaemic heart disease and stroke in men. British Medical Journal, 1987.
• NHLBI: Sleep apnea symptoms

Editorial update: September 2026. A reader-friendly explanation of a historical study, rather than a systematic review of cardiovascular risk.