Sleep apnea syndrome and essential hypertension

doi:10.1016/0002-9149(85)90738-6

The American Journal of Cardiology

Volume 55, Issue 8, 1 April 1985, Pages 1019-1022

https://doi.org/10.1016/0002-9149(85)90738-6 Get rights and content

Abstract

More than half of patients with essential hypertension have sleep apnea. The incidence of unrecognized sleep apnea in patients with essential hypertension was assessed. Twenty-three patients taking antihypertensive medication were selected at random from a hypertension clinic. They were evaluated by questionnaire for symptoms of sleep apnea, and during 3 hours of sleep, measurements were made of respiratory patterns using an impedance pneumograph, arterial O₂ saturation with an ear oximeter and air flow at the mouth or nose with a face mask pneumotacograph. Abnormal sleep apneas (average 20 seconds) lasting for an average of 19% sleep time were found in 11 patients (48%). Significant arterial O₂ desaturation, defined as a decrease of at least 4% and to < 90%, was observed in 7 of these 11 (30%), with an average saturation of 87% at the end of the apneic episodes. Thus, almost one-third of patients randomly selected had significant arterial O₂ desaturation during sleep because of sleep apnea, and it is suggested that sleep apnea may play a part in the development of essential hypertension.

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Citation Excerpt :
The association seems to be independent of the effects of BMI, age, gender, smoking, use of alcohol, and physical activity. In case-control studies the prevalence of sleep apnea among patients with essential hypertension was 25% or higher (Kales et al., 1984; Lavie et al., 1984; Fletcher et al., 1985; Williams et al., 1985, 2007; Bartel et al., 1995; Fletcher, 1996; Worsnop et al., 1998). In practice this means that if there is a history of habitual snoring and/or sleep apnea, and if the upper-airways anatomy is suggestive of sleep apnea, a polysomnographic study must be done to verify or rule out clinically significant sleep apnea.
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Sleep apnea syndrome and essential hypertension

Abstract

Chest

Lancet

The hypertension detection and follow-up program: a progress report

Circ Res

The adrenergic nervous system and hypertension

Hemodynamic studies in sleep apnea

Hemodynamics of sleep-induced apnea

Ann Intern Med

Sleep apnea syndrome due to upper airway obstruction

Arch Intern Med

The sleep apnea syndrome

Ann Rev Med

Tracheostomy and hemodynamic changes in sleep-induced apnea

Ann Intern Med

Clinical overview of the sleep apnea syndrome