There is a sympathetic (emergency) response in the body every time an apnea or hypopnea occurs. This causes your heart rate and blood pressure increase. OSA (obstructive sleep apnea) patients have hundreds of events per night, thus the body remains in a constant state of elevated air pressure.

Another connection between hypertension and sleep apnea is the fact that when suffering from sleep apnea, your body isn't getting sufficient oxygen and therefore doesn't convert enough of it to nitric oxide. Nitric oxide is a vasodilator and without it, blood vessels tend to narrow. The endothelial lining of the arteries breaks down, making them more susceptible to plaque and fatty tissues building up. Narrow arteries with high risk of blockage leads to high blood pressure, heart attack, and stroke.

OSA increases hypertension risk by 45%