Sleep Apnea & Hypertension – Las Vegas, NV
How Sleep Apnea Can Affect Your Blood Pressure
In and of itself, sleep apnea has the potential to cause enough problems: sleepless nights, loud snoring, and daytime exhaustion to name just a few. But in addition, sleep apnea can be the root cause of a host of other health concerns, too. A leading one is hypertension, also called high blood pressure. Let’s examine the connection between the two.
The Link Between Sleep Apnea & Hypertension
Sleep apnea is a chronic health condition that causes breathing to become strained or even stop. The most common form is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). During an episode of OSA, the soft tissue in your throat blocks your airway. This may last anywhere from a few seconds up to a minute, and then your nervous system signals the brain to awaken the body and restart breathing.
While breathing is suspended, however, the oxygen level in your bloodstream begins to drop. Once again, your nervous system goes to work instructing blood vessels to constrict so that a sufficient amount of oxygen flows to vital organs, such as your heart and brain. Your heart must work harder to make this happen, and as a result, high blood pressure can develop.
Moreover, this troublesome pattern is not just restricted to nighttime hours, but can continue during the daytime, too. Thus, your body may be subjected to round-the-clock hours of low oxygen and high blood pressure.
Treat Sleep Apnea to Relieve Hypertension
At iSleepSolutions in Las Vegas, Dr. Pam West treats sleep apnea with oral appliance therapy or oral appliance therapy combined with a CPAP device. Your oral appliance will be specifically designed for your mouth to ensure that it is comfortable and wearable. The appliance will slightly reposition your lower jaw and your tongue in order to prevent your airway from becoming blocked. Thus, you can breathe freely, and an ideal level of oxygen is maintained in your bloodstream.
For some patients, attaching an oral appliance to a CPAP machine provides better relief from sleep apnea. In this case, the oral appliance makes it possible to reduce the force of air, so patients tolerate their CPAP machines better.
Schedule a FREE Consultation with iSleepSolutions
If you know you have hypertension, or if you’re feeling tired during the day and your sleep partner reports that you snore loudly each night, then call iSleepSolutions to schedule a FREE consultation. The solution to sleep apnea and your high blood pressure may be as simple as wearing an oral appliance at night.