Understanding the dangerous connection between obstructive sleep apnea and high blood pressure levels

Jamil Alkhoury of Brentwood Family Dental in Brentwood, California, are dentists who regularly work with patients who have been diagnosed, by their primary care physician, with obstructive sleep apnea. This sleeping disorder is caused by a blockage in the airways. While patients sleep, this blockage wakes them up before they reach the deep levels of sleep they need to feel well-rested each day. This wakening and sleeping cycle can occur hundreds of times in one night and result in patients waking up still feeling tired.

The condition is best addressed with a device called a CPAP machine, which is worn over the face and used at night to maintain open airways throughout the evening. However, these large devices are uncomfortable and difficult to travel with, causing many patients to avoid using them to treat their condition. At Brentwood Family Dental, we encourage patients to ask us about an alternative solution called oral appliance therapy. This is when patients obtain a customized mouthguard that is worn at night to provide the same benefits and allow them to get a good night’s rest.

Sleep-disordered breathing is often linked to patients with hypertension or high blood pressure. High blood pressure strains the cardiovascular system and can lead patients to a higher risk of other medical issues, including strokes and heart disease. Patients who manage their blood pressure can reduce these harmful effects. Patients who have obstructive sleep apnea may also have high blood pressure, which can be a dangerous combination. This is why it is so important for patients to seek treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, which can in turn aid in lowering a patient’s high blood pressure levels and bring their body back to health. If you have been diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, ask your doctor to monitor blood pressure levels as well to see if the two are coexisting.