You’re probably well aware of the impact sleep apnea has had on your day-to-day life as well as on the day-to-day life of your bed partner. Today, CPAP Central would like to talk about some of the long-term consequences of leaving your sleep apnea untreated.
You may have heard about how neglecting to use your CPAP every night can lead to things such as obesity and depression, but did you know it could also raise your blood pressure? Known as hypertension, this condition can easily turn deadly.
High blood pressure is dangerous for a few reasons. It occurs as your arteries and channels narrow because of fat and other deposits clogging them. This means more and more pressure is being put on your heart and vascular system. This leads to strokes or heart attacks.
Sleep apnea and high blood pressure go hand in hand as sleep apnea is more common in those that are overweight and obese, and the same is true with high blood pressure. Atherosclerosis, or the hardening of the arteries, shares some common physiological characteristics, suggesting that sleep apnea and hypertension are related to having cardiovascular disease.
A study completed by the Journal of Sleep Medicine observed 221 men with obstructive sleep apnea and took their diastolic and systolic blood pressures after three, six, nine and 12 months of CPAP therapy. Both of their numbers had decreased significantly after starting the therapy. Another study showed people with sleep apnea on average had higher blood pressure than those who did not.
One thing to take away from both studies is the importance of knowing the signs of sleep apnea and being diagnosed soon enough to take the appropriate action. Schedule an appointment with your doctor as soon as possible. They can then prescribe a sleep study that will better determine a diagnosis.
Let the experts at CPAP Central assist you in finding the right equipment for you. We look forward to helping you via our contact form or through our live chat, which is available 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. EST.