Treating High Blood Pressure should include more that medication; it should include addressing possible Sleep Apnea.
For two decades, scientists have reported higher risk of sleep apnea in patients with high blood pressure:
30% of Hypertension patients also have Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA)
83% of Drug Resistant Hypertension patients also have OSA
If you have been diagnosed with hypertension, should be evaluated for sleep. If you aren’t being treated for OSA, get tested. If you have already been diagnosed, stay compliant with your treatment.
Treating sleep apnea could be a simple way to improve your hypertension. Several research studies have shown that hypertensive patients that started CPAP saw a significant reduction in blood pressure. Those with severe OSA had an average reduction of 10 mmHg! Another study showed improvement in arterial tone and blood pressure as soon as 4 weeks after starting treatment.
While most of these studies looked specifically at CPAP treatment, other treatments like a Mandibular Advancement Device (MAD) can be just as effective. Learn more at Sleep Impressions
We also need to recognize that Obstructive Sleep Apnea increases the risk of hypertension and heart disease.
50% of OSA patients have hypertension
Severe OSA patients have 2-4X higher odds of arrhythmias including atrial fibrillation
If you suspect you have sleep apnea, but haven’t been diagnosed or treated, you are at risk of developing hyptertension. If you have symptoms like snoring or daytime sleepiness, you may have sleep apnea. Every night you put off treatment, puts you at higher risk of high blood pressure and other cardiovascular disease! Get started with a simple telehealth visit and home sleep test from Millennium Sleep Lab.