Study links severe sleep apnoea with high blood pressure

Researchers in the USA have found that people with severe, untreated sleep apnoea are at an increased risk of high blood pressure.

The study, published in the Journal of Clinical Sleep Medicine, involved 284 people with moderate or severe sleep apnoea, who were also on heart disease management programmes.

The researchers found that, of the participants prescribed three or more types of high blood pressure medications, 58.3% of those with severe sleep apnoea had elevated levels, compared with 28.6% in those with moderate sleep apnoea.

They also noted that people with severe, untreated sleep apnoea were four times more likely to have high blood pressure that was resistant to medications, even when considering other relevant risk factors.

Based on these findings, the researchers recommend that people with high blood pressure should discuss their risk of sleep apnoea with their healthcare provider.

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Read the abstract of the journal article.