Why does apnea cause hypertension

A simple mask called continuous positive airway pressure CPAP , which helps promote normal breathing during sleep, has been shown to reduce blood pressure levels. CPAP is especially effective in patients with resistant hypertension, serving as a potential treatment for these high-risk patients. However, authors encourage future research on the issue, particularly around the impact of sleep apnea treatments on high blood pressure.

Although findings are promising, larger studies are needed to assess the benefits of CPAP in patients with high blood pressure. To learn more about high blood pressure, visit CardioSmart. For information about sleep apnea, go to CardioSmart. Overview Sleep apnea is a potentially serious sleep disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops and starts. The main types of sleep apnea are: Obstructive sleep apnea, the more common form that occurs when throat muscles relax Central sleep apnea, which occurs when your brain doesn't send proper signals to the muscles that control breathing Complex sleep apnea syndrome, also known as treatment-emergent central sleep apnea, which occurs when someone has both obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea.

Request an Appointment at Mayo Clinic. Obstructive sleep apnea Open pop-up dialog box Close. Obstructive sleep apnea Obstructive sleep apnea occurs when the muscles that support the soft tissues in your throat, such as your tongue and soft palate, temporarily relax. Share on: Facebook Twitter. Show references Strohl KP. Overview of obstructive sleep apnea in adults. Accessed June 7, Selim BJ, et al. Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine.

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Received : 09 September Revised : 07 January Accepted : 23 January Published : 12 March Issue Date : December Anyone you share the following link with will be able to read this content:. Sorry, a shareable link is not currently available for this article. Provided by the Springer Nature SharedIt content-sharing initiative. Sleep and Breathing Health and Technology BMC Pulmonary Medicine Advanced search. Skip to main content Thank you for visiting nature. Download PDF. Subjects Hypertension.

Abstract Obstructive sleep apnea OSA is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial hypopnea or complete interruption apnea in breathing during sleep due to airway collapse in the pharyngeal region.

Figure 1. Full size image. Clinical features Obstructive sleep apnea is characterized by recurrent episodes of partial hypopnea or complete interruption apnea in breathing during sleep due to airway collapse in the pharyngeal region. Mechanisms of OSA-induced cardiovascular diseases Attempts have been made to relate the mechanisms and complications of OSA to the associated increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.