TELEPHONE SURVEY OF PATIENTS WITH OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA AND DRUG RESISTANT ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Objective. The aim of the telephone survey was to assess the progress of treatment in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and drug-resistant hypertension (RH). Methods. The medical records of all patients who had a polysomnography at Pulmonology department’s Sleep Laboratory in 2015 were reviewed. Study subjects were patients with RH and moderate or severe OSA (apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) >15 per hour). Results. 28 patients met the criteria and agreed to participate in the thelephone survey. All patients with OSA and RH were using CPAP therapy. The antihypertensive drug regimen was unaltered in 9 patients (32.1%) but modifiend in 19 patients (67.9%) by either dose reduction (n=8) or by discontinuing 1 antihypertensive drug. The survey has showed that patients whose treatment was modifiend by discontinuing 1 drug had higher AHI compaired with patients whose treatment was unchanged or reduced the drug dose. Conclusions. It was noticed that CPAP therapy with antihypertensive treatment were associated with better blood pressure control in hypertensive patiens with OSA. Larger prospective trials are needed to confirm the benefit of CPAP therapy in patients with RH.