Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: A Review of the Relationship and Pathogenic Association

Amna Bangash; Fareha Wajid; Raju Poolacherla; Fatiha Kabir Mim; Ian H Rutkofsky

doi:10.7759/cureus.8241

Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Hypertension: A Review of the Relationship and Pathogenic Association

Cureus. 2020 May 22;12(5):e8241. doi: 10.7759/cureus.8241.

Authors

Amna Bangash¹, Fareha Wajid¹, Raju Poolacherla^{2

3}, Fatiha Kabir Mim⁴, Ian H Rutkofsky⁵

Affiliations

¹ Internal Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA.
² Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA.
³ Pediatric Anesthesia and Pain, Western University, London, CAN.
⁴ General Practice, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA.
⁵ Psychiatry, California Institute of Behavioral Neurosciences and Psychology, Fairfield, USA.

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is defined as episodes of hypopnea or apnea, which leads to a partial or complete block of airways. Hypertension, on the other hand, is defined as an increase in systemic arterial blood pressure to a certain threshold. OSA and hypertension share many common factors in pathophysiology, such as gender, obesity, unhealthy lifestyle, impaired quality of sleep, renin-angiotensin system, and increased fluid distribution. In order to manage our patients effectively, we need to explore further the correlation between the two conditions.

Keywords: continuous positive airway pressure (cpap); essential hypertension; obesity; sleep apnea; sleep apnea and hypertension; snoring.

Publication types

Review