HAS CPAP LOWERED YOUR BLOOD PRESSURE?

[Gus]

I have been on cpap for one year. I also cut down on cigs about a year ago.
I've been suffering from fainting episodes and palpitations on standing for 2 months.
Been diagnosed with postural hypotension, unknown cause at this point seein neuro, endo and Cardio has ruled out heart.

Exactly one week before this started, I quit smoking completely.

I'm wondering if looking after my sleep apnea, Quit smoking has now dropped my BP to unhealthy low levels.. Eg 98/75 when standing, 110/85 sitting?

I don't know what my BP was before I got I'll, but I am obese, unfit, and smoked so think it may have been much higher than it is now.

Has anyone actually experiences this? Were you cured somehow? They have me on Fludrocortisone now, seems I've replaced on condition with another. I can tell you I'll gladly take back smoking, and high bloo pressure as I'm completely disabled now.

Has anyone else suffering from sleep apnea and hypotension (low blood presure). I did a tilt table test and almost fainted within 3 min.

Thanks

Gus

[JohnBFisher]

Gus,

There are several things that can cause positional orthostatic hypotension (your blood pressure drops if you stand). It is good that you are seeing a series of doctors for this. Unfortunately, one of the things that can cause this is Multiple Systems Atrophy (MSA). This is often one of the earlier symptoms that show your autonomic nervous system is not working as it should. Here are some reputable links:

http://www.shy-drager.org/symptoms-of-sds
http://www.wemove.org/msa/
http://www.mdvu.org/library/disease/msa/

Hopefully you will find that your situation is not due to MSA. For example, why is there a connection to the cessation of cigarette smoking? Perhaps the withdrawal had some impact on your neurotransmitters. If that's the case, hopefully you will see some improvement with time.

Best wishes!

[jimnsc]

I'm on the same two meds I was on when I started treatment going into 4 months ago. My BP has dropped significantly but I cannot swear it's due to cpap treatment but I think it is. My current BP averages 111/68 now whereas it averaged about 130/78 - same meds.

As an aside, your treatment mimics mine when I first started - perhaps not in the same order. At first it took hours for me to go to sleep - I assume that was because of the strange thing covering my face (Quattro FFM). Never did get comfortable with that FFM or two others I tried but as time went on I migrated to nasal masks first and then on to nasal pillows, which I currently use. Although sleep came quicker with those changes, long term sleep did not.

Only in the last month has my duration improved and I attribute that to attaining acceptable AHI's regularly and getting used to breathing through my nose. I now sleep between 6 and 7.5 hours nightly and another bonus is I don't get up twice a night for bathroom breaks like I did. Didn't mean to bore you with detail but I always enjoyed learning others had the same obstacles I did starting out. I was determined from day one that I would be successful with my treatment and although for two months doubted I would be, I am beginning to look at it as routine procedure. Problem free? Nope, I hit a snag occasionally but it's getting more predictable for me.

Good luck to you - Jim

[snuginarug]

Yes. Last trip to the doctor, 120/80.

[BrianinTN]

No change for me. I'm on three things (lisinopril, HCTZ, and amlodipine), and those keep it mostly controlled except when I am stressed. I was hoping I might get to ditch one or more of those, but so far, xPAP hasn't changed anything for me.

[Gus]

Hi all,

Thanks for replies.

Scared the shit out of me with that MSA, I certainly do have a lot of those symptoms.
I am 35, which I've been told is young for any of the main causes of hypotension.

Funny thing is that this started with postural, but have found now that I can get dizzy just sitting down.
My BP tends to swing a bit too.

Specialists are lost. Endo has done adrenal tests, all normal. But has "inferred" that there must be some mineralcorticoid issue, ie body not retaining salt (yet my electrolytes are normal).
Neuro has done nerve conductivity and EMG and MRI, all normal. Is "guessing" that it's some own of autonomic system issue but has referred me to an autonomic specialist neuro for opinion.
He has ruled out numerous diseases, cancers, etc. Hrs doing a test for diabetes, even though fasting glucose levels were fine. Few more blood tests underway for syphilis, HIV, etc.. But he doesn't expect any positives.

As for treatment, I tried Fludrocortisone but couldn't tolerate it. Neuro had mentioned midodrine.

Neuro thinks it's a vascular constricting issue, endo thinks it's a volume issue.

Surely there's a way to rule one of them out. Seeing a clinical professor tomorrow, hopefully he can bring it all together.

Live long and prosper
Gus

Personally I think there's a lot more tests to do to

[lebowski8]

yes CPAP has lowered. i have my own bp cuff, and these days i test weekly. since starting CPAP, my average bp now is 119/79, which is lower than the BP in my signature, which was my average after my first year on CPAP.
prior to CPAP, my BP was much higher. my GP put me on meds about two months before CPAP, which is when i bought the cuff (and made accurate averaging easier). After a month on CPAP, i went off the meds because my BP was too low!

[rosacer]

I was at 135/90 or so (if I didn't take the meds) when I started 1 1/2 year ago. I haven't see any change, if I stop meds the pressure goes up. I think I had OSA for at least 8 years or more and taking high blood pressure for 4 years before been diagnosed.

I don't know if one day my pressure will become normal. Maybe if I loss all the weight I toke with OSA when I was going down the hill and continue making exercise?

[JointPain]

High blood pressure was one of reasons I decided to be a 100% compliant CPAP user again.

I am on three blood pressure medicines---lisinopril, hydrochlorothiazide, and amlodipine---as well as CPAP. Since starting this regimen my blood pressure has come down very nicely and is now quite acceptable (120/80). I think CPAP has played a big role in that, but I have no specific evidence.

After I first started my meds, I would get light headed on standing, especially after exercise or lying on the couch. Doctor said that would probably go away after I got used to the meds, but offered to try me on a different kind anyway. I persevered with the original meds and indeed that light headedness has mostly gone away.

[idamtnboy]

I'm envious of those whose BP dropped.

CPAP didn't change my blood pressure, cholesterol, blood glucose, weight, eyesight, hearing, or anything else, except my AHI went down to less than 1, I'm not near so sleepy in the daytime (especially if I get my afternoon nap!), and I don't get up for bathroom breaks near as often in the night!

[Muse-Inc]

Yup, mine did. Life-long low BP like everyone else in my family BUT 9 yrs untreated and unknown OSA saw mine rise to 215/110...yikes!!! Took 18 months as a hosehead to drop to 128/70 and drop Cozaar totally. Still on a diuretic but I'm still obese and will likely need to continue taking that until I lose a lot more weight.

[goldfinch]

No change at all for me. In fact, my BP is up a bit. This is after losing 20% of my body weight, exercising quite a bit, and starting xPAP. Goes to show that not everything is in your control.

[davecpap]

No change at all for me. In fact, my BP is up a bit. This is after losing 20% of my body weight, exercising quite a bit, and starting xPAP. Goes to show that not everything is in your control.

+1... I've been exercising daily (25 mins elliptical, 25 mins stationary bike) since August 2010, I've been on CPAP daily since May 2010, I've shed almost 30 pounds.. but my blood pressure has gone UP quite a bit.

[taberge]

Yes.

[Mr Bill]

Actually, quite a bit, and my pulse also... I started ASV therapy on day 110. I've been tracking the morning numbers since they seem to best reflect the therapy working. My systolic is now dropped to <120 and my diastolic has dropped to <80. My pulse has dropped from mid 80's to below 70. I'm taking 320mg/day of Diovan over the whole time frame. The data is sparse for the first 120 days because frankly I did not want to record all those high blood pressures. An idiot thing to do.

By billshan at 2011-07-13

I am still hoping that walking a few miles at a time frequently will bring my weight down.