Archived Questions
Question of the Week - May 20, 2002
My blood pressure is very normal during the day. When I get up early in the morning it is elevated. My wife says I snore heavily. Could this be related to apnea?
Mike
Answer to the Question of the Week
Mike,
Yes, the high blood pressure you experience upon wakening can certainly be related to obstructive sleep apnea. Many patients who suffer from sleep apnea demonstrate obvious and sometimes very dramatic variations in their blood pressure while they are struggling to breath throughout the night. This hypertensive pounding can damage the blood vessels. Although you have normal blood pressure during the day, the hypertension could worsen over time until it is a chronic condition. Physiological and epidemiological data have shown that obstructive sleep apnea directly contributes to daytime hypertension. A number of cardiac arrhythmias (both atrial and ventricular) as well as an increased risk of stroke have also been associated with sleep apnea. Don't delay in talking to your physician about obtaining a sleep test to determine if you have obstructive sleep apnea! In most cases, the risk is reduced or resolved with effective CPAP therapy.
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