title: Obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension.
abstract: There is growing evidence of a causal relationship between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and hypertension. Untreated OSA may have direct and deleterious effects on cardiovascular function and structure through several mechanisms, including sympathetic activation, oxidative stress, inflammation, and endothelial dysfunction. OSA may contribute to or augment elevated blood pressure levels in a large proportion of the hypertensive patient population. It is important to consider OSA in the differential diagnosis of hypertensive patients who are obese. OSA should be especially considered in those hypertensive patients who respond poorly to combination therapy with antihypertensive medications.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Unit, Department of Hypertension and Diabetology, Medical University of Gdansk, Debinki 7c, 80-952 Gdansk, Poland. knark@amg.gda.pl
authors.forename: Krzysztof
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Narkiewicz
authors.forename: Jacek
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wolf
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lopez-Jimenez
authors.forename: Virend K
authors.initials: VK
authors.lastname: Somers
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D015994:Incidence; D012307:Risk Factors; D020181:Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D014661:Vasoconstriction / Q000502:physiology