HAS CPAP LOWERED YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?

[SUEBRIT8]

I am taking a Diuretic for my moderate high blood pressure, but it is stil not low enough and I do not want to increae the dosage or change medications. I hate taking a meds! I have heard that Sleep Apnea can increase blood pressure, therefore would love to know if using your CPAP is caused your blood pressure to decrease? I have just started using one and am able to only sleep with it for about four hours a night. Thank you for your replies. Sue

[OceanGoingGal]

It did jot decrease my blood pressure and I am currentlly taking two meds daily.

Laura

[Pugsy]

Untreated sleep apnea can cause an increase in blood pressure. So can a lot of other things too.
Sometimes treatment will reduce blood pressure readings. Sometimes no change at all.

I was right at the borderline high stage when I started on CPAP almost 2 years ago. No meds.
I have had some high normal readings in the past 2 years but I have also had so again borderline high readings. Still no meds.

So not a huge drop for me but it hasn't increased. Only way to know if it will help you is to do what you have to do to be 100% compliant and watch the BP. It won't be a quick fix if it does happen. Can't use it for a week or month and expect to see a big drop.

[SleepyT]

yes...cpap has lowered my blood pressure...

[dtsm]

I have just started using one and am able to only sleep with it for about four hours a night. Thank you for your replies. Sue

Welcome. Please go to your user control panel, post your equipment and tell us how you're doing. Everyone is here to help with your cpap therapy.

[JohnBFisher]

A couple years back I was struggling to have proper sleep. Until I was on my current (effective for me) therapy, my blood pressure remained high regardless of what medications I took. However, within a month after starting my ASV therapy (and managing my central sleep apneas), my blood pressure consistently is down around 120 over 80 and my heart rate is around 64. Though this requires medication I did not have to change my medication to attain a consistently acceptable blood pressure. Just good, effective sleep.

[Bones]

In the last year before cpap, my BP wouldn't go below 160/90 regardless of what my doctor and I tried. I am still on some medication but my last BP reading was 117/68. So yes, cpap has made a significant difference in lowering my blood pressure.

[M.D.Hosehead]

Yes. I went from three BP meds to one.

[Mr Bill]

Yes, it has lowered my blood pressure. I noticed the morning pressure dropping first and now the evening pressures are also dropping. Three months ago I was seeing pressures as high as 156/100 in the morning. When I asked my doctor why they seemed to be higher in the morning he said thats why many people die or have strokes in the early morning hours. This morning my blood pressure was 116/78 and the only thing different is getting sleep.

[Captain_Midnight]

subrit8 writes that she would love to know if using your CPAP is caused your blood pressure to decrease?

Yes, in my case it came down some right away, and even more over time ( and as I optimized my apap pressure range).

I'm down to such a low dosage of my one med, that it's considered "homeopathic", and it's hardly enough to make a difference in my readings. I could get rid of that if my bp would be as low in the Doc's office as it is all other times. (White coat hypertension); although even the white coat readings are declining.

My average at home is about 115/65, with a pulse of about 56. Distance running two or three times per week also helps this.

In a few months, subrit8, maybe you will be writing a positive report, just like this!

Good luck in the xpap therapy, stick with it, and keep a sense of humor.

.

[Guest]

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REPLIES! Now it gives me hope to perservere with using the CPAP. I am new to it and cannot sleep more than 3 or 4 hours, then I have to take it off, otherwise cannot fall back to sleep. My BP is around 146/90 with a med and I do not want to take more meds, so hopefully I will be lucky like all of you!

[Janknitz]

Yes, mine came down significantly. The doctor was just starting to get on my case about starting meds when I started CPAP, and it came down nicely.

WHY are you not able to go back to sleep with your CPAP after 4 hours??? 4 hours is not enough to get any benefit from CPAP. You must use it all night every night for it to work.

We can help you be able to sleep all night with CPAP if you do a few things:
1. Register and fill in your equipment (please use words, not pictures). Most important info is exactly what model of machine you have, and what mask.
2. Write a post telling us your pressure(s), ramp and humidifier settings.
3. Tell us what is bothering you so much after 4 hours that makes you take off your mask.

[klutzo]

Hi,
My high blood pressure has not gotten any lower. I take two meds for it and take most of them at night, since I have something called "malignant supine hypertension", which makes my systolic (the top number) blood pressure go way up when I am lying down. I am supposed to sleep with my head elevated to help this, but that makes my neck hurt really bad and I can't use a wedge pillow, since they are too hard for me, and not washable, and I have dust mite allergy.
I was hoping the CPAP would help, but I've been using it for 4 years and my blood pressure is higher than ever. I have lots of other things wrong with me though, so you may have a much better experience than I have. My sleep doctor said CPAP would lower my blood pressure, so it must do that for some people.
Good luck!

klutzo

[lbw]

Before I started CPAP I was having a lot of problems dropping my blood pressure. My DOC had just added another med. Within a week of CPAP my blood pressure dropped and was able to stop one. Now my pressure sits 100-110/70. CPAP should drop your pressure as it decreases the work of your heart.

[vtcpa]

In less than 2 months, mine has been lowered. Before, it usually ran around 150/90...have been to dr. 2x in the past few weeks and it was 112/60 and 116/60...I am amazed. Only difference has been APAP at night.