Can CPAP cause unusually high blood pressure?

I am a brand new CPAP user and have noted that on the day after I sleep using the machine, my blood pressure is alarmingly high. I take high blood pressure medication and take my blood pressure at home every day. I let a few days go after using it for the first time and experiencing the spike in blood pressure and my blood pressure went back to normal. Used the CPAP machine the last two nights and on both days following use, my blood pressure was extremely high.

I don't think this is a coincidence but have never heard that CPAP use can increase blood pressure. Has anyone heard anything similar or have any information on this?

High blood pressure is less likely to be from your treatment, but rather to
YOUR REACTION to it.
Stress and anxiety is not uncommon to beginners--thus your blood pressure.
You can wear the mask, with machine running while watching TV, reading, etc.
to get your system to accept it as a safe thing to do.
If you are on meds for abnormal blood pressure, contact your doctor ASAP!

Cpap usually causes BP to decrease, if anything, so I can't imagine what happened except to think CF is right.

Neelie wrote:Can CPAP cause unusually high blood pressure?

A properly operating CPAP system has been shown to improve blood pressure (https://www.google.com/search?q=cpap+im ... e&ie=UTF-8).

Are you using CPAP all night? What is your AHI? Leak level?

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Agree with the 2 main thoughts presented. Seems logical that the newness of the treatment and its associated stresses could increase blood pressure. From personal experience I would also want to be certain that the treatment is optimized and not causing undue stress on systems due to ineffective settings or misuse of machine features like the ramp or too wide of an auto range. Not sure of your equipment, but please do yourself a favor and investigate your machine data and pursue some of the desensitization tips mentioned.

To add a 3rd consideration to the mix on a long shot is to ask if there are any indications that limb movements during sleep are an issue? Once my OSA was treated and I was sleeping without apneas disturbing my sleep, my limb movements became more pronounced. The extremely fractured sleep along with my body not being physically at rest even when asleep I feel contributed to a period when my blood pressure was at its worst. Again, this would affect only a probably small subset of persons with OSA, but is worth a mention just in case.

kteague wrote:Agree with the 2 main thoughts presented. Seems logical that the newness of the treatment and its associated stresses could increase blood pressure. From personal experience I would also want to be certain that the treatment is optimized and not causing undue stress on systems due to ineffective settings or misuse of machine features like the ramp or too wide of an auto range. Not sure of your equipment, but please do yourself a favor and investigate your machine data and pursue some of the desensitization tips mentioned.

To add a 3rd consideration to the mix on a long shot is to ask if there are any indications that limb movements during sleep are an issue? Once my OSA was treated and I was sleeping without apneas disturbing my sleep, my limb movements became more pronounced. The extremely fractured sleep along with my body not being physically at rest even when asleep I feel contributed to a period when my blood pressure was at its worst. Again, this would affect only a probably small subset of persons with OSA, but is worth a mention just in case.

Thanks so much for all the responses!

Although I may be uncomfortable or anxious about wearing the mask while sleeping, it seems odd to me that my blood pressure is still super high, more than 8 hours after getting out of bed in the morning. I believe I find it a little more frustrating to use rather than frightening, but maybe the result is the same fore the body and the blood pressure. I think I'd better stop using it until I can get in to see my doctor because my blood pressure hasn't improved at all, even after taking my medication this morning.

I don't know yet how to investigate the stats associated with my machine so can't tell you that info.

Thanks again for all who responded.

Neelie wrote:my blood pressure is still super high, more than 8 hours after getting out of bed

How high?

Yes, definitely get in to see your doctor. Your body's reaction to new CPAP use may very well be the cause for some reason...or it may not. Whatever the reason, it needs to be figured out. Since the HBP lasts for several hours after you get up, try to get an appointment with the doctor in that time frame so the higher reading can be seen at the doc's office.

Neelie - ask your MD about 'pulmonary hypertension'. It's not something you want to wait about if it's happening (sorry, don't want to scare you, but better to check into things than avoid them).

Pulmonary hypertension is totally different that typical hypertension, as pulmonary hypertension is high pressure in the arota, leading to heart failure. The BP as measured with a cuff is not elevated by PAH.

I am also finding that my high blood pressure has continued to rise since being on my C-Pap machine. I have also gained 8 lbs. I was under the impression the machine was going to lower my high blood pressure, that has not been the case for me. Is anyone else experiencing a rise in their high blood pressure since being on a C-Pap?

When you start CPAP therapy, your body undergoes a shock!
Many unwanted things can happen.
It's very difficult to understand what's happening to you.
Maybe you have an excess of water retention? Who can know?
I think you need to consult your doctor for necessary inquiries.

Good luck
Oltremare

Redmare (and others) - it's possible your min. pressure was set too low, so low that it's difficult to inhale properly (e.g. 4 or 5) which happens a lot when docs think the machine's magic and can rise (literally) to the occasion of even very high level events. That's not so, and might be responsible for your high BP due to stress. Most of us have bumped our min. pressures early on to at least 6, 7 or even 8 depending on results and software indications. You might want to consider this if it applies and we can help you adjust things.

My BP was all over the chart and I was on meds for it. I started cpap and things lined out, wasn't overnight but I did get off the BP meds. That was about 5 years ago, now it runs around 120/70. Just saying it did help me but then we are all different. See your doctor please.