title: Resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea: the sparring partners.
abstract: Enhanced target organ damage and cardiovascular morbidity represent common issues observed in both resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea. Common pathophysiological features and risk factors justify their coexistence, especially in individuals with increased upper-body adiposity. Impaired sodium handling, sympathetic activation, accelerated arterial stiffening, and impaired cardiorenal hemodynamics contribute to drug-resistant hypertension development in obstructive sleep apnea. Effective CPAP therapy qualifies as an effective "add-on" to the underlying antihypertensive pharmacological therapy, and emerging evidence underlines the favorable effect of mineralocorticoid antagonists on both resistant hypertension and obstructive sleep apnea treatment.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Elena Venizelou Hospital, 2 Elena Venizelou Sqr., Athens 11521, Greece.
authors.forename: Costas
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Thomopoulos
authors.forename: Helena
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Michalopoulou
authors.forename: Alexandros
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kasiakogias
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kefala
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Makris