What are the long-term effects of obstructive sleep apnea?
Research suggests that OSA is a major contributing factor in the development of hypertension, or high blood pressure. Data from a 2003 study in The New England Journal of Medicine, reveals that, “sleep-disordered breathing is likely to be a risk factor for hypertension and consequent cardiovascular morbidity in the general population.” Although many patients with OSA have clear symptoms of hypertension, as many as 90 percent of cases are undiagnosed. In studies in which blood pressure was measured following treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, daytime and nighttime blood pressure levels were found to decrease significantly. This decrease in blood pressure may also reduce the likelihood of cardiovascular complications. The apneas and hypopneas associated with obstructive sleep apnea decrease oxygen levels and increase carbon dioxide levels in the blood. As these levels become more extreme, sufferers begin to struggle for air – in essence suffocating which causes them to wake up briefl
