Carrie Fisher didn’t die from just one cause, but sleep apnea was a major contributor, stated the coroner’s office stated this week. One study estimated that one in four adults between 30 and 70 years old has mild to severe sleep apnea. As one dentist who specializes in sleep medicine told the Washington Post, it’s not the sleep apnea itself but its downstream effects that kill people. Sleep apnea is tricky to diagnose because the symptoms are so common: in addition to sleepiness and fatigue, snoring is a major symptom, though not everyone who snores has obstructive sleep apnea. Severe, untreated sleep apnea nearly quadruples the risk of death compared to those without sleep apnea, and the risk of heart disease is five times greater.

Source: Forbes June 18, 2017 10:30 UTC