Heart Disease Community

Hi:

"I dont have any symptoms of sleep apnea"

Be that as it may, if one does actually have sleep apnea, it may/can cause, and worsen, pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

"But my dr. wants a sleep study but I don't know if I need one or not"

Well, whether you do or don't, which can not be truly determined here, at least a sleep study is relatively easy, painless and non-invasive, unlike say, an invasive electrophysiology study (EP) for heart rhythm disorders.

O2 sat is a measurement of oxygen in the blood/hemoglobin. It gives a picture as to how the body is oxygenating itself.

Finger pulse oximeter - Arterial oxygen saturation (SpO2)

Normal oxygen saturation range (in any position) is considered as being 97%-99%, though readings down to 91%/93% may be normal for some individuals.

Some individuals may/can be quite ill (and not even know it) with a reading of 97% or greater. 100% saturation is not normal when breathing air, though it can be achieved when supplementary oxygen is given.

Some individuals have poor blood oxygenation only during physical activity/exercise. It is considered abnormal if oxygen saturation declines by more than 5% during exercise or sleep.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)



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Be well-informed

Sleep study

An all-night sleep study is exceptionally valuable for diagnosing and treating many sleep disorders, including breathing disorders, movement disorders and neurological disorders that happen while you're asleep.

Sleep studies are easy to tolerate, comfortable and give the sleep physician the information he/she needs to accurately diagnose and treat your sleep disorder.


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"Be a questioning patient. TALK to your DOCTOR and ASK QUESTIONS. Studies show that patients who ask the most questions, and are most assertive, get the best results. Be vigilant and speak up!"

- Charles Inlander, People's Medical Society

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It's your future......be there.

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WebMD/WebMD forums does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

WebMD does not endorse any specific product, service or treatment.

Very informative, cardiostar. I agree. There isn't a day that goes by where more information is being revealed linking metabolic syndrome to sleep apnea. There's an excellent article in Time, recently, revealing links between sleep apnea and nightmares and Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome. I'd urge anyone given an opportunity to undergo a sleep study to take it...healthy or not.

"I'd urge anyone given an opportunity to undergo a sleep study to take it...healthy or not."

Well said.

CardioStar*



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Sleep apnea is an often underdiagnosed condition which may be associated with pulmonary hypertension in some people. It seems like a reasonable thing to assess for in general. I agree that given your 98% nocturnal oxygen saturation it may be less likely in your situation, but formal testing will help you know for certain.

I have sleep apnoea in addition to having had 7 strokes and TIA's every few months. MY BP and cholesterol are very high. It runs in the family. Quiite often my oxygven saturation is about 92. My pulse 84. What I don;t understand is that my BP can be 178/107 yet sometimes it goes as low as 92/61. What could be the reason for that?
A reply would be appreciated.
I am also a mouth breather and my respiration is 28-30. I puff just when bending over.

Hi:

......"in addition to having had 7 strokes and TIAs every few months."

Oh my!

"My BP can be 178/107 yet sometimes it goes as low as 92/61. What could be the reason for that?"

The complex human body is usually able to keep blood pressure (BP) within safe/acceptable limits, but sometimes changes in lifestyle, health, side effects from prescription drugs, or changes in metabolism, make this difficult. This can cause the BP to become consistently higher or lower than normal, or just spike up and then drop down.

Compensatory mechanisms that control BP involves changing the diameter of veins and small arteries (arterioles), the amount of blood pumped out from the heart per minute (cardiac output), and the volume of blood in the vessels.

High BP, temporary or chronic, may/can be related to various heart disorders, kidney problems, and sometimes liver, or adrenal gland problems. One's susceptibility to develop it can even be caused by an imbalance somewhere within the body's precise regulating systems.

Normal resting BP in adults is under 120/80 with 115/75 or 110/70 considered as being optimal/ideal. Prehypertension is defined as systolic of 120-139 mmHg and diastolic of 80-89 mmHg. Stage 1 is systolic of 140-159 and diastolic of 90-99. Stage II is systolic of 160-179 and diastolic of 100-109. Stage III is systolic greater than 180 and diastolic greater than 110. Stage IV systolic of 210 and greater, and diastolic of 120 and greater.

Health dangers from blood pressure vary among different age groups and depending on whether systolic or diastolic pressure (or both) is elevated, and for how long.

Elevated blood pressure, isolated diastolic hypertension, isolated systolic hypertension and diastolic/systolic hypertension, increases the risk of cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and renovascular disease.

High systolic blood pressure appears as a significant indicator for heart complications, including death, in all ages, but especially in middle-aged and older adults.

High diastolic pressure is a strong predictor of heart attack and brain attack in young adults and in those of any age with essential hypertension, high blood pressure from unknown causes, which occurs in the great majority of cases.

Keep ALL known modifiable risk factors for cardiovascular disease closely in-check.

Best of luck down the road of life.

Take care,

CardioStar*

WebMD member (since 8/99)



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Good to know, for the primary/secondary prevention of heart/brain attack

Rrisk factors (encompasses some new, novel or emerging) for atherosclerosis, typically affecting the carotid, coronary and peripheral arteries, includes age, gender, genetics (gene deletion, malfunction or mutation) , diabetes (the highest risk factor), smoking (includes second and thirdhand), inactivity, obesity (a global epidemic, "globesity"), high blood pressure (hypertension), Low HDL (now questionable, according to recent studies) high LDL, small, dense LDL, RLP (remnant lipoprotein), high Lp(a), high ApoB, high Lp-PLA2, high triglycerides, HDL2b, high homocysteine (now questionable), and high C-reactive protein (CRP/hs-CRP).

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Heart-Healthy Foods

Nothing complicated, plain & simple!

Avoid foods high in saturated fat and cholesterol. Choose skim or low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt and reduced-fat cheeses. Eat more fish and poultry. Limit servings to five to seven ounces a day. Trim visible fat. Limit egg yolks. Substitute two egg whites for one whole egg or use an egg-substitute. Eat more fruits and vegetables, whole grains, breads and cereals. Use less salt and fat. Season with herbs and spices rather than with sauces, gravies and butter.

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Quote!

"Be a questioning patient. TALK to your DOCTOR and questions. Studies show that patients who ASK the most QUESTIONS, and are most assertive, get the best results. Be vigilant and speak up!"

- Charles Inlander, People's Medical Society

.

It's your future......be there.

. .

WebMD/WebMD forums DOES NOT provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.