Gehring J et al. – The study examined the presence of excessive apnea induced blood pressure (BP) in patients with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS). Patients with OSAS can have periods of BP superposition during night with extremely high systolic blood pressure (SBP) and very low oxygen saturation thereby contributing to high risk for cardiovascular events during night.

Methods

• Patients (N = 97) with apnea/hypopnea index greater 30 were evaluated.
• Periods of SBP baseline elevations ≥10 mmHg were defined as superposition.

Results

• In total, 84 periods of superposition were detected in 48 patients, mostly (76%) occurring during rapid eye movement sleep.
• Mean oxygen saturation (SpO2) and minimal SpO2 were lower and desaturations and mean heart rate were greater during superposition periods.
• The maximum SBP was significantly high during superposition.