Does sleep apnea cause high blood pressure?
Yes Sleep apnea can cause very high blood pressure. Before I was diagnosed with sleep apnea, I had fairly high blood pressure, and having used the CPAP machine which supplies a positive air force into the nose and lungs have allowed my blood pressure to come down remarkably. When you have uncontrolled or undiagnosed sleep apnea, it causes the heart to work quite hard, and increases the risk of getting a heart attack if it is not treated. So if you’re experiencing fairly high blood pressure, and the doctor doesn’t know why, then ask them about a sleep lab test, or a home sleep test, and that should be able to tell them whether or not you have this disorder.
