Clinical: Journals Watch - Sleep apnoea, asthma and COPD.(improved management of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease )(prescribing for paediatric asthma)(sleep apnea's connection with hypertension)

Too busy to read all of the journals? Let Dr Simon Hunter update you on the latest research.

Sleep apnoea as a risk factor for hypertension

JAMA 2012; 307(20): 2169-76

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) affects 17% of Americans (and only 3-7% of Spaniards, as another paper in this journal informs us). Several studies have suggested a connection between OSA and hypertension.

This prospective cohort study of nearly 1,900 patients sets out to confirm this and examines whether treating OSA with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) reduces the risk of hypertension.

Patients were followed for an average of 12 years. Incidence of hypertension in controls was 2.19 per 100 patient-years, 3.34 in patients with OSA who were ineligible for CPAP, 5.84 in patients eligible for CPAP but who declined it, 5.12 in those who were non-adherent to CPAP and 3.06 in those who used CPAP.

The authors conclude OSA is an independent risk factor for hypertension and treating it with CPAP can reduce this …