Currently, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) has been proven to be a risk factor for arterial hypertension, since 50% of patients with sleep apnea have high blood pressure . An inverse relationship was also noted – in 30% of patients with hypertension, obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is observed . In a report by the US Joint National Committee on the Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment of Hypertension, sleep apnea ranks first among all causes of secondary arterial hypertension.
Patients suffering from obstructive sleep apnea do not have a decrease in blood pressure at night (as it should normally). In some cases, nighttime pressure indicators even prevail over daytime ones! In addition, people with OSAS experience an increase in blood pressure in the morning. When monitoring blood pressure in patients with sleep apnea, there is a significant decrease in 30 minutes after waking up, and without taking medication. This indicates that the rise in pressure is promoted by sleep, or rather, its violation.
In patients with nocturnal and morning hypertension, especially resistant to treatment, it is necessary to assume the presence of obstructive sleep apnea. Foreign scientists conducted studies of patients with arterial hypertension, not amenable to treatment with several drugs. Obstructive sleep apnea was diagnosed in 83% of these patients.
Since obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is recognized as a significant risk factor for the development of cardiovascular diseases, sleep examination (cardiorespiratory monitoring) is indicated not only in the presence of hypertension (especially nocturnal and morning), but also in various heart rhythm disturbances that occur at night. Apnea syndrome can be one of the causes of coronary heart disease, nocturnal angina attacks, heart failure.
The importance of diagnosing OSA in hypertension is undeniable, because if left untreated, half of the patients develop a stroke, heart attack, or sudden death within 10-12 years.
With cardio-respiratory monitoring, parameters of respiration and heart function are recorded during a night’s sleep. The respiratory sensor allows you to diagnose the frequency and duration of respiratory arrests. The pulse oximetry sensor measures the level of oxygen saturation in the blood. Electrocardiogram sensors establish the relationship between breathing disorders that occur during sleep and disorders of the heart.
Determining the severity of apnea is necessary for choosing a treatment method. When identifying the relationship of hypertension, arrhythmias and other diseases with night sleep disorders, the most appropriate is the use of CPAP therapy – non-invasive ventilation by creating positive airway pressure. CPAP therapy reduces cardiac risks and effectively eliminates the cardiovascular manifestations of obstructive sleep apnea from the first day of treatment.
At present, improved Prisma Line CPAP devices from the new line of Weinmann – Loewenstein (Germany) have been developed. Their use allows the most effective and comfortable treatment of the entire spectrum of respiratory disorders in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.
Watch the lecture by Dr. med. Sciences, Professor Buzunov R.V., dedicated to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular complications that occur in the syndrome of obstructive sleep apnea.