10 Causes of Hypertension
Reviewed: Dr. Mera
Cause #5: Obstructive Sleep Apnea
Obstructive sleep apnea is a condition that causes potentially serious disruptions to breathing when we are sleeping. Patients suffering from this condition are usually (but not exclusively) overweight. During sleep, the patient’s airway may collapse due to anatomical or physiological reasons. This prevents the patient from being able to breathe, causing them to wake regularly throughout the night.
With the patient’s breathing patterns disrupted, so is the supply of oxygen to the body. This will result in the blood pressure rising to help ensure enough oxygen is supplied. While some people with obstructive sleep apnea will find their blood pressure normalizes in the daytime, for many it will remain high throughout the night.
