Black children are four to six times more likely to develop obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) compared to white children. Black adults younger than 26 have an 88 percent higher risk of OSA, according to the National Center for Biotechnology Information. For teens who have had OSA since childhood, this could potentially lead to future complications. New research shows that teens who’ve had sleep apnea since childhood have a much higher risk of high blood pressure than those who never had sleep apnea.
“Our study showed that pediatric sleep apnea can act as a gateway to future hypertension,” study author Julio Fernandez-Mendoza, an associate professor in Penn State’s Sleep Research and Treatment Center says.
The researchers assessed 421 children ages 5 to 12 and found that about 12 percent had OSA. The participants were assessed again eight years later for sleep apnea and high blood pressure.
Teens who had sleep apnea since childhood were nearly three times more likely to develop high blood pressure than those who never had sleep apnea. In a bit of good news, teens whose childhood sleep apnea improved as they got older didn’t have an increased risk of high blood pressure.
“Because most cases of sleep apnea go undiagnosed in adults and children alike, the problem needs more attention. Sleep apnea and its risk factors should be screened for, monitored and targeted early in life to prevent future cardiovascular disease,” Fernandez-Mendoza adds.
READ: Sleep Apnea 101: Everything You Need To Know For A Better Sleep
Participants whose sleep apnea began as teenagers were nearly twice as likely to develop high blood pressure as those without sleep apnea.
These teens were more likely to have a specific form of high blood pressure called orthostatic hypertension. It occurs when standing up quickly from a