title: [Obstructive sleep apnea--a risk factor for arterial hypertension].
abstract: Obstructive sleep apnea is frequently found in middle-aged men. Usually, these patients are obese and therefore predisposed to hypertension. This study aimed to elucidate the relationships between hypertension, obesity and obstructive sleep apnea in 48 men suffering from sleep apnea. Hypertension was found in 39 of them (= 81%), 27 patients (= 56%) were morbidly obese (Broca index above 125%), 17 patients (= 36%) were moderately obese (Broca index between 100 and 125%) and 4 patients (= 8%) showed normal weight (Broca index below 100%). Severity of sleep apnea did not correlate with obesity or hypertension. Patients with sleep apnea who were hypertensive were significantly (p less than 0.025) more obese than those with normal blood pressure. Compared with an unselected population showing a similar degree of obesity, patients with obstructive sleep apnea showed a higher prevalence of hypertension and this is independent of age. These findings establish sleep apnea as a risk factor for hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Lungenabteilung, Krankenhaus der Stadt Wien-Lainz.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rauscher
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Popp
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vollmann
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ritschka
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zwick
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001835:Body Weight; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000150:complications*
chemical_list: D010100:Oxygen
vernacular_title: Obstruktive Schlafapnoe--ein Risikofaktor für arterielle Hypertonie.