Sleep Apnea
Sleep apnea is not a disorder to be taken lightly and think it is something which will disappear by itself in time. Sleep apnea is in fact classified as being a "progressive disease" and this means that, like heart disease, cancer and diabetes, it gets worse over time. There is a great deal of argument amongst doctors about the effect which sleep apnea has on other medical problems. There is a definite link between sleep apnea and a variety of physical conditions including high blood pressure, diabetes, heart attack, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, kidney failure and stroke.
An increasing amount of research is looking at why these health problems are related to problems that erupt the upper airways of a person suffering from sleep apnea. Of course it is well known that cigarette smoking, alcohol abuse and being overweight contribute to sleep apnea and in turn lead to a greater chance of developing high blood pressure and heart disease. What is not clear however is why many people who do not have any of these elements in their lifestyle still suffer from sleep apnea.
Whenever there is a cessation of breathing during a sleep apnea episode the bloodstream encounters higher levels of carbon dioxide and lower oxygen levels. Accordingly, a variety of both physical and chemical events occur within the body that then increases the possibility of other problems arising.
In sleep apnea sufferers who are overweight experts have discovered high levels of immune factors called interleukin 6 (IL-6) and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha). High levels of both of these factors can produce serious inflammation in the body which can cause cell damage, particularly within the arteries. In one study it was demonstrated that individuals with elevated levels of tumor necrosis factor-alpha had shortness of breath, excessive tiredness and weak heart pumping. It should be noted however that at this point no clear causal relationship has been established between obstructive sleep apnea and heart disease.
Various studies have been carried out to look at sleep apnea and high blood pressure and a connection has been established between the two. To give an example, a study undertaken in 2000 looked at patients for four years and reported that the greater the number of apnea episodes they experienced in the first year the greater the possibility of developing hypertension by the third or fourth year. Even amongst those who snored or who experienced mild sleep apnea there was a weak but nonetheless higher than usual association with hypertension.
Previously the link between sleep apnea and high blood pressure was considered to be strongly linked to obesity. Recent studies however are pointing to the fact that hypertension is seen especially in people who have sleep apnea no matter how much they weigh.
Blood pressure affects sleep apnea simply because it changes markedly during repeated sleep apnea episodes. These changes are also related to changes in the form of sudden surges which take place in the sympathetic nervous system. This system controls involuntary muscles and particularly those which impact the heart and blood vessels. It is now strongly believed that, as time go by, these changes may play a major role in the development of permanent long term high blood pressure.
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