Effect of CPAP on 24-Hour Blood Pressure in the Excessively Sleepy Obstructive Sleep Apnea Subtype

2022 Strategic Research Grant

ULYSSES MAGALANG, MD
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY

Key Project Outcomes

Individuals with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can present with different symptoms that can be grouped into three main categories: those who present mainly with excessive sleepiness, those with predominantly disturbed sleep, and those with minimal symptoms. This project examined for the first time the 6-month changes in mean arterial, systolic and diastolic blood pressure from 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring in OSA patients with excessive sleepiness. The study showed that individuals with OSA who are excessively sleepy and who are adherent to continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment experience ~5-8 mmHg greater decreases in 24-hour mean arterial pressure (MAP) and systolic blood pressure compared to individuals with OSA who are excessively sleepy, but who are not adherent to CPAP treatment. These effects are larger than the 2-3 mmHg reduction in 24-hour mean arterial blood pressure previously described on the effect of CPAP for patients with OSA, supporting our concept that excessively sleepy OSA patients are more likely to experience cardiovascular benefits from CPAP therapy.