Hypertension refers to a condition when the force with which the blood is pumped through your vessels is higher than usual. Such people do not typically show any symptoms, making diagnosing high BP difficult. Typically, individuals realise they are hypertension patients during routine checkups. But, this doesn’t mean that you do not need to treat it. Untreated hypertension puts strain on your blood vessels, which can lead to heart disease, stroke, and other conditions. For those interested in knowing how blood pressure affects sleep apnea, more information is given in the following sections. Have a look!
The link between sleep apnea and hypertension
Among the two types of sleep apneas, OSA and CSA, the prior is linked to hypertension. Many people suffering from OSA have high blood pressure, and the opposite is also true.
In people who don’t have any sleep disorders or health conditions, the BP naturally lowers at night by 10% to 20%. This phenomenon is called blood pressure dipping. But, in OSA patients, the dip in the blood pressure is less (fewer than 10%). It is indicative of a non-dipping blood pressure pattern. Such people are at an increased risk of experiencing cardiovascular issues.
Besides this, OSA patients are said to experience a sudden and pronounced hike in BP after waking up in the morning. This surge can be another reason responsible for hypertension.
How sleep apnea causes high BP?
Sleep deprivation puts pressure on the heart. And, OSA in particular, over activates the sympathetic nervous system. Basically, it is responsible for generating the fight or flight response in the human body. It triggers a series of physical reactions like faster heart rate, dilated pupils, high blood pressure, and increased metabolism when activated. It helps one in reacting to stressful situations. But, people must keep in mind that excessive activation of the sympathetic nervous system can mean chronically high BP and poor health.
Now, what happens with sleep apnea patients is that they experience pauses in breathing several times through the night. When the airway collapses, the sympathetic nervous system in patients gets triggered. The moment breathing resumes, their blood pressure registers a spike. This series of paused and resumed breathing wakes up a person. After experiencing an apnea episode, getting up from sleep can escalate the BP to an even higher degree.
Moreover, a hindrance to sleep because of obstructive sleep apnea causes the body to release sympathetic nervous system hormones called catecholamines. These are stress hormones released by the adrenal glands. Some examples of these hormones are dopamine and epinephrine. Their high levels can cause a spike in blood pressure.
How does sleep apnea treatment affect BP?
Getting treated for sleep apnea improves sleep quality and improves blood pressure. So, using methods like oral appliances, CPAP therapy, physical exercises, and making lifestyle changes is recommended.
So, this is how sleep apnea is linked with high blood pressure. Both the conditions are interrelated and influence each other.