Woman Finds Out Just How Deadly Snoring Can Be

Think snoring is harmless? Think again. One woman thought nothing of her boyfriend loudly snoring, until she turned on the lights and saw that his face turned purple. 25-year-old Lisa Lee was so frustrated with her boyfriend Lewis Little’s snoring that she kicked out of bed. Later, should would learn to regret her decision when she found out he had a rare disease that caused him to snore.

In 2016, Little was diagnosed with Brugada syndrome, a rare heart condition that can cause arrhythmia, palpitations, and even death.

According to the Mayo Clinic, Brugada syndrome is defined as:

“A potentially life-threatening heart rhythm disorder that is sometimes inherited. People with Brugada syndrome have an increased risk of abnormal heart rhythms from the lower chambers of the heart (ventricular arrhythmias).

“Many people who have Brugada syndrome don’t have any symptoms, and so they’re unaware of their condition. A telltale abnormality — called a type 1 Brugada ECG pattern — is detected by an electrocardiogram (ECG) test. Brugada syndrome is much more common in men.

Brugada syndrome is treatable with preventive measures such as avoiding aggravating medications, reducing fever and, when necessary, using a medical device called an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD).”

Although Little was suffering from extreme snoring, his condition was not bad enough to warrant an implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) — a device that controls heart rhythms similar to a pacemaker.

Common symptoms of Brugada syndrome include fainting, irregular heartbeats or palpitations and extremely fast and chaotic heartbeat (sudden cardiac arrest).

Doctors assured the couple that Little would live a “long and healthy life,” according to Viral Nova.

But one night, Lee turned on the lights to see that her partner’s face was purple. What she thought was snoring would actually be the last breath he took.

“When we were in bed I just thought he was snoring, so I kicked him out of the bed and told him to shut up,” Lee told Daily Mail.

“But I felt that the sheets were wet and knew something was wrong. I turned the lights on and his face was purple – he wasn’t breathing.

“I called an ambulance and it felt like it took forever. They pronounced him dead at the hospital.”

Now, Lee is speaking out on behalf of families suffering from Brugada syndrome.

“Losing Lewis has destroyed me and our son Tyler. I believe that being fitted with an ICD would have saved my partner’s life. I want people with the same condition to have the choice, low risk or high to have an ICD fitted. The syndrome is a silent killer – I just want to raise awareness of it and make sure something gets done,” Lee told Daily Mail.

The Mayo Clinic advises those suffering symptoms of Brugada syndrome to see a doctor “If you have heart palpitations or an irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), make an appointment to see your doctor. Your problem could be caused by a heart rhythm problem, but tests can determine if the underlying cause of your heart problem is Brugada syndrome.

Sources: Viral Nova, Mayo Clinic, Daily Mail / Photo credit: North News and Pictures Ltd via Daily Mail