Another post about obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and high blood pressure (HTN). This study is a meta-analysis of observational studies and randomized controlled clinical trials. The study authors studied patients with resistant HTN, meaning blood pressure that was not responding to multiple medications. The study participants also had OSA.
I don't have access to full article, only the link above and the abstract. The results suggest that those patients with the highest blood pressures had the greatest reduction in blood pressure after using CPAP therapy. The study authors concluded that untreated OSA may be why some patients' blood pressure just won't come down with multiple medications.
The results from this study are not new, but do provide more evidence of the importance of screening patients with resistant HTN for underlying OSA. In my community, primary care doctors have been doing this for years already. However, this may not be the case in other medical communities around the country.
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