title: Resistant hypertension and sleep apnea: pathophysiologic insights and strategic management.
abstract: Resistant hypertension is common among adults with hypertension affecting up to 30% of patients. The treatment of resistant hypertension is important because suboptimal blood pressure control is the leading preventable cause of death worldwide. A frequent comorbid condition in patients with resistant hypertension is obstructive sleep apnea. The pathophysiology of sleep apnea-associated hypertension is characterized by sustained adrenergic activation and volume retention often posing treatment challenges in patients with resistant hypertension. This review will address some of the epidemiologic data associating apnea with the pathogenesis of resistant hypertension. Diagnosis and management of apnea and its associated hypertension will also be considered.
authors.affiliation: Center for Healthful Behavior Change, Division of General Internal Medicine, New York University School of Medicine, New York, NY 10010, USA. stw2013@med.cornell.edu
authors.forename: Stephen K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ravenell
authors.forename: Girardin
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jean-Louis
authors.forename: Ferdinand
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Zizi
authors.forename: James A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Underberg
authors.forename: Samy I
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: McFarlane
authors.forename: Gbenga
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ogedegbe
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009765:Obesity; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000503:physiopathology*