Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) and hypertension: Pathogenic mechanisms and possible therapeutic approaches

Abstract

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS), a chronic condition characterized by collapse of the pharynx during sleep, has been increasingly recognized as a health issue of growing importance over the last decade. Recently emerging evidence suggests that there is a causal link between OSAS and hypertension, and hypertension represents an independent risk factor in OSAS patients. However, the pathophysiological basis for patients with OSAS having an increased risk for hypertension remains to be elucidated. The main acute physiological outcomes of OSAS are intermittent hypoxia, intrapleural pressure changes, and arousal from sleep, which might induce endothelial dysfunction, sympathetic activation, renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system activation, lipid metabolism dysfunction, and increased oxidative stress. This brief review focuses on the current understanding of the complex association between OSAS and hypertension.

Key words::

• Approach
• hypertension
• obstructive sleep apnea syndrome
• pathogenic mechanism

Declaration of interest: This work was supported by Chongqing Natural Science Grant (CSTC2009BB3571). We thank Medjaden Bioscience Limited for assisting in the preparation of this manuscript. The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.