A clinical study carried out at the Arnau de Vilanova Santa Maria University Hospital (Lleida) suggests that the constant use of CPAP can prevent high blood pressure in people with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) who initially have normal blood pressure levels.
The research, published as an original article in the European Respiratory Journal and signed first by Adriano DS Targa y Gerard torres, continued for a quarter a cohort of patients with severe OSA and found that those who used CPAP for at least four hours each night were protected against increased voltage, while those who did not use it showed significant increases.
The study in Lérida: design and population
The trial included 60 volunteers with severe sleep apnea, mean age of 52 years, and normal baseline blood pressure. During follow-up, some participants received the CPAP therapy and others continued with usual care, allowing comparisons of progress between groups.
To assess the changes, the team used the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) 24-hour monitoring. This approach provides a more accurate picture of blood pressure throughout the day and night, which is especially relevant in OSA, where nighttime disturbances can occur. push up blood pressure values.
Results: Adherence makes the difference
The authors observed a clear pattern: not using CPAP was associated with substantial increases in different blood pressure parameters over the three-month period. In contrast, among those who kept the CPAP on four or more hours per night, no changes were recorded or even small reductions were observed in the MAPA.
The benefit depended on the adherence. Patients with insufficient use of the equipment showed increases in blood pressure comparable to those of the non-CPAP group, highlighting that the actual time of use is crucial to obtain blood pressure protection.
Sleep apnea and hypertension: a known link
OSA and high blood pressure are related narrow and bidirectional. Professionals such as the pulmonologist Eusebi Chiner They recall that about half of those who suffer from sleep apnea are also hypertensive, and that about 40% of hypertensive people who snore could present AOS.
Beyond blood pressure, this pathology leads to daytime sleepiness and a higher risk of traffic or work accidentsMedical literature links OSA with more serious problems, including heart failure, stroke, and ischemic heart disease, with a significant health and social impact. large scale.
Healthcare and diagnostic impact
In Spain, sleep apnea represents a very relevant part of the activity in Pulmonology: it is estimated that reaches half of the consultations in this area. In addition, its diagnosis is growing every year at a rate of 8-10%, reflecting a sustained demand for care.
The disease continues, despite everything, underdiagnosed. Its pathophysiology involves oxygen desaturation, changes in intrathoracic pressure and microarousals, mechanisms that lead to drowsiness, cognitive impairments and respiratory, cardiovascular, metabolic and inflammatory disorders.
What the specialists say
For the pulmonologist Ferran Barbé, member of SEPAR and researcher of the work, this study opens a practical way to improve health and the quality of life of those suffering from OSA, focusing on the patient's commitment to their treatment to reduce consequences such as Hypertension and, by extension, serious cardiovascular events.
Chiner insists that the lack of nighttime rest is the most visible consequence and that its daily impact is not minor, but he emphasizes that the most worrying thing is the associations with cardiovascular pathologies and oncological, so strengthening diagnosis and adherence to effective therapies such as CPAP is essential.
CPAP: What It Is and Why It Can Help
CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) is a device that pushes air at a predetermined pressure through a mask, keeping the airways open during sleep. By reducing respiratory pauses and improving oxygenation, it can cushion the nocturnal blood pressure spikes and its daytime residual effects.
The key is to use it long enough each night. According to the study data, the threshold of four hours a day marks the difference between stable blood pressure control and the risk of blood pressure shoot up over time.
Initiatives to promote the approach
With the aim of raising awareness and training professionals, institutions and citizens about sleep-related breathing disorders, SEPAR promotes the SEPAR Year of the TRS, an initiative that highlights its high prevalence and economic burden. Partners include organizations such as BTI Apnia y Linde, as well as strategic collaborators in the sector (Esteve Teijin, Orthoapnea, Oximesa, VitalAire, Welltech and Yuwell), reinforcing a network of cooperation to improve the diagnosis and treatment.
Among the key data of the work carried out in Lérida are the following: sample of 60 participants with severe OSA and normal blood pressure at baseline, follow-up three months with 24-hour ABPM and the confirmation that the use of CPAP ≥4 hours/night protects against rising blood pressure, unlike usual care.
This body of evidence places CPAP as a decisive tool to control the impact of sleep apnea on blood pressure, provided there is good adherence, and reinforces the need to detect OSA early and to accompany patients so that maintain the treatment with perseverance.