The causes of high blood pressure, known as the silent killer, can be very diverse, but there is one factor that is increasingly being discovered in the background of the disease. And this is none other than sleep apnea, which, according to research, is often given too little attention. How high blood pressure is related to it, Dr. Teacher Judit Kapocsi spoke.
According to the latest announcement of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM), in case of high blood pressure, it is also worth examining the patient for sleep apnea (OSA). Dr. According to M Safwan Badr, president of the AASM, OSA is much more likely to occur among them.
| This is also important because this sleep disorder and poorly treated hypertension together can lead to a greater chance of cardiovascular problems. |
However, according to scientists, unfortunately, in the case of high blood pressure, sufficient attention is rarely paid to sleep apnea, even though it can easily be the cause of secondary hypertension (i.e. when high blood pressure is only a symptom).
Lessons from the research
A recent study looked at 318 patients and investigated the effects of moderate to severe OSA. The researchers found that in the latter case there was a much higher chance of being diagnosed with high blood pressure, so they emphasized that this aspect should also be taken into account when treating hypertension.
Why is it dangerous?
“During sleep apnea, the pharyngeal muscles relax and the root of the tongue slides back, preventing sufficient air from reaching the lungs. Therefore, a lack of oxygen and an excess of carbon dioxide occur in the brain, and then the airways are released with a sudden snoring. As this is repeated several times during the night, the sleep becomes restless and the person does not rest properly, as a result of which his blood pressure rises. So it is now an accepted fact that sleep apnea syndrome can cause hypertension,” says Dr. Teacher Judit Kapocsi, high blood pressure specialist at the Thrombosis Center.
Furthermore, as a result of insufficient sleep, the patient is tired and sleepy the next day, which only worsens the situation, as he cannot concentrate on his tasks as he should and becomes stressed, which is known to be one of the root causes of hypertension. In addition, lack of sleep leads to exhaustion of the body, the patient cannot regenerate, so sooner or later he will have some kind of organ complaint – for example, an increase in blood pressure.
Source: Thrombosis Center
Source: www.patikamagazin.hu
