Effects of CPAP on "vascular" risk factors in patients with obstructive sleep apnea and arterial hypertension.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to assess the effects of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) on arterial stiffness, central blood pressure, and reflected pulse wave characteristics in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and stage 2-3 arterial hypertension. METHODS: Forty-four patients with hypertension and severe OSA (apnea/hypopnea index > 30) received stepped dose titration of antihypertensive treatment, consisting of valsartan 160 mg + amlodipine 5-10 mg + hydrochlorothiazide 25 mg. CPAP therapy was added after 3 weeks of continuous antihypertensive treatment with BP < 140/90 mmHg or after adjusting triple treatment in patients with resistant arterial hypertension. The patients were randomized to effective CPAP (4-15 mm H2O) or placebo CPAP (pressure 4 mm H2O) for three weeks, then crossed over to the alternative treatment in a single-blind manner. Office blood pressure (BP), ambulatory BP monitoring, ambulatory arterial stiffness index (AASI), aortic BP, carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cfPWV), and systolic wave augmentation index were measured using a Sphygmocor® device at baseline, after antihypertensive treatment, placebo CPAP, and effective CPAP. RESULTS: Baseline cfPWV was above the normal range in 94% of patients. After reaching target BP, the cfPWV decreased by 1.9 ± 1.0 msec (P = 0.007). Effective CPAP achieved a further cfPWV reduction of 0.7 msec (P = 0.03). Increased arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity > 12 msec) persisted in 35% of patients on antihypertensive treatment and effective CPAP, in 56% of patients on antihypertensive treatment alone, and in 53% of patients on placebo CPAP. Only the combination of antihypertensive treatment with effective CPAP achieved a significant reduction in augmentation index and AASI, along with a further reduction in aortic and brachial BP. CONCLUSION: Effective CPAP for 3 weeks resulted in a significant additional decrease in office BP, ambulatory BP monitoring, central BP, and augmentation index, together with an improvement in arterial stiffness parameters, ie, cfPWV and AASI, in a group of hypertensive patients with OSA.

[Efficacy of combined treatment of patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea and arterial hypertension of the second and third degree].

AIM: To assess efficacy of two- and three-component antihypertensive treatment (AHT) in patients with severe sleep apnea and arterial hypertension (AH) of the second and third degree in combination with CPAP therapy (continuous positive air pressure) and without it. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A total of 58 patients aged 55.5 +/- 9.6 years participated in the study. Clinical blood pressure (BP) before treatment was 172.0 (170.7-175.9)/100.0 (98.5-104.2) mm Hg, apnea/ hypopnea index was 26.3 episodes an hour. The patients received amlodipin in combination with walsartan in a dose 5-10/160 mg with addition of 25 mg hydrochlorothiaside if target BP was not achieved. This treatment was followed for 3 weeks by CPAP-therapy. Monitoring was made of clinical BP, central BP, target mean 24-h pressure. RESULTS: Despite a significant reduction of systolic arterial pressure/diastolic arterial pressure (by 30/14 mm Hg) as a result of antihypertensive treatment, this reduction was lower than in such patients without obstructive sleep apnea (by data from other investigators). CPAP-therapy reduced the number of resistant patients from 58 to 31%, patients with masked AH--from 19 to 11%, cases of arrhythmia--from 69 to 47%. CONCLUSION: Multicomponent pathophysiologically sound AHT in hypertensive patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea was effective in less than 42% cases. The maximal effect was achieved in combined treatment with CPAP-therapy.