The effect of continuous positive airway pressure therapy on vascular function in obstructive sleep apnea: How much is enough?

摘要

Over the last two decades, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) has emerged as a considerable public health burden. Due to the ongoing epidemic of obesity, which is strongly linked to OSA, the prevalence of the disease has been steadily rising. According to recent data from the Wisconsin Sleep Cohort, the combination of sleep-disordered breathing as indicated by an apnea-hypopnea index of >5 events per hour and excessive daytime sleepiness occurs in approximately 14% of men and 5% of women between the ages of 30 and 70 years [1]. Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) represent the principal morbidity and mortality in OSA and large-scale epide-miologic studies have demonstrated an independent relationship between OSA and various cardiac disorders, such as systemic arterial hypertension, ischemic heart disease, heart failure, and stroke.