ARTERIAL-HYPERTENSION IN SLEEP-APNEA - EFFECTS OF CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AIRWAY PRESSURE THERAPY (NCPAP)

The present study examines arterial blood pressure behaviour in 12 men with sleep apnea and arterial hypertension on baseline, after 1/2 a year of therapy with nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and after interruption of therapy. Age was 50 (38-64) years, body-mass-index was 29.3 (25.4-38.5) kg/m2. Polysomnographic measurements in the sleep laboratory included invasive blood pressure measurement via a catheter in the brachial artery. Being therapied the apnea index of 58 (range 46-73) apneas per hour sleep decreased to 2 (0-7) phases per hour, and was after interruption again 52 (20-78) apneas per hour. Non-invasively measured blood pressure during the day decreased from 169.3/104.1 to 138.3/87,1 mmHg. Intraarterially measured values during the night decreased from 147.1/81.6 to 126.4/69.4 mmHg under therapy and showed an increase after interruption to 132.4/70.1 mmHg. Blood pressure variability showed the same pattern but the increase after interruption was more pronounced in relation to the absolute values. The results prove the reversibility of arterial hypertension in sleep apnea by effective treatment of the sleep-related breathing disorder. Sleep apnea should be considered in the differential diagnosis of arterial hypertension.