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Can Sleep Apnea Cause Finger Clubbing And Elevated Pulmonary Artery Pressure Levels?
Question: My son is 34. He has significant clubbing of his fingers which lead him to be referred for an echocardiogram. I believe the pulmonary artery pressure was calculated to be 45 and he was referred to a cardiologist for possible pulmonary hypertension which scares the hell out of me. I've checked his O2 levels and they are 99-100%. He is thin, doesn't smoke, and is active. His hobby is rock climbing. He doesn't get shob, overly fatigued, or have syncope episodes. He did have multiple ear infections as a child and didn't outgrow them until he was a teen. He does snore and his girlfriend tells me she has been very concerned when he has pauses in his breathing. Could sleep apnea be the cause of clubbed fingers and the elevated PAP? If so will addressing the sleep apnea improve the PAP? Could the echo be wrong? Are there other causes that are treatable? Everything I've been reading is very dismal and I'm sick with worry. Am I jumping the gun and over reacting?
Thanks, XXXXXXX
Thanks, XXXXXXX
Brief Answer:
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
After going through the medical details provided by you of your Son I can very well understand your concern and I would like to say that before I comment on anything I would like to have a look on his Echocardiography report.
Kindly upload the report from your dashboard for me to review and then give my opinion.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXXX
After going through the medical details provided by you of your Son I can very well understand your concern and I would like to say that before I comment on anything I would like to have a look on his Echocardiography report.
Kindly upload the report from your dashboard for me to review and then give my opinion.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Yogesh D
I'm sorry. I don't have that report. All I am aware of is I believe to PAP was 45. I will try to obtain more info from my son.
Brief Answer:
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Although the report was important for me to look for other parameters.
However according to the symptoms which you have mentioned it could be an abnormality of the heart or of lungs.
Yes sleep apnea can also cause PAH. But as you are Terling he doesn't have any morning symptoms like laziness or morning sleeps and also he is not obese these things goes against the possibility of sleep apnea.
It's advisable to consult both a cardiologist and a chest physician or Pulmonologist for proper physical examination and evaluation so that the underlying problem can be sorted out and treated accordingly.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Please refer to the detailed answer below
Detailed Answer:
Although the report was important for me to look for other parameters.
However according to the symptoms which you have mentioned it could be an abnormality of the heart or of lungs.
Yes sleep apnea can also cause PAH. But as you are Terling he doesn't have any morning symptoms like laziness or morning sleeps and also he is not obese these things goes against the possibility of sleep apnea.
It's advisable to consult both a cardiologist and a chest physician or Pulmonologist for proper physical examination and evaluation so that the underlying problem can be sorted out and treated accordingly.
Kind regards
Dr Bhanu partap
Note: For further queries related to coronary artery disease and prevention, click here.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Kampana
Answered by
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