High Blood Pressure also referred to as Hypertension, is when the force of blood flowing through your blood vessels is too high. High blood pressure and sleep apnea are a dangerous pair. Sleep apnea has been shown to increase the risk of high blood pressure if left untreated. It is also been shown that high blood pressure, often referred to as the "silent killer" can cause sleep apnea or worsen breathing in patients already affected by sleep apnea. Sleep apnea and high blood pressure have been know to significantly increase the risk for serious health complications such as stroke and heart attack.
Research suggest that anywhere from 30-50% of patients with high blood pressure have sleep apnea. The good news is that treatment for sleep apnea may aid in lowering blood pressure levels. A continuous positive airway pressure machine known as a CPAP is effective in patients with high blood pressure.
Some of the symptoms of high blood pressure are headaches, anxiety, shortness of breathe, or fatigue.
