According to a recent study, poorly managed Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) can lead to uncontrolled blood pressure, posing a significant, yet under-recognized, risk for cardiovascular health.
The study led by Flinders University indicates that individuals with high variability in their night-to-night OSA severity are particularly vulnerable, a condition that could be overlooked or misdiagnosed during routine clinical testing.
“People with increased night-to-night variability in the amount of sleep apnea are at a 50% to 70% increased likelihood of having uncontrolled hypertension and variable blood pressure—a confirmed risk factor for cardiovascular events, all-cause mortality, vascular organ damage, atrial fibrillation, and dementia,” says Dr. Bastien Lechat, the lead author of the article.
High variability in OSA severity is an independent clinical predictor of uncontrolled hypertension and plays a crucial role in identifying patients at high risk of cardiovascular harm.
OSA, a widespread clinical sleep disorder characterized by repetitive upper airway collapse during sleep, is estimated to affect around one billion people worldwide.
Methodology
The research conducted by the Flinders Health and Medical Research Institute (FHMRI) is one of the first large-scale extended studies on OSA severity.
The study used innovative under-mattress sleep sensor technology for multi-night, in-home, non-invasive monitoring of sleep data from 12,287 adults over approximately 180 nights with about 30 repeat blood pressure tests.
The sensor technology evaluated both OSA severity and night-to-night variation in OSA severity, enabling researchers to compare their findings with current single-night sleep assessments and potentially misdirected management and care.
Implications and Future Directions
“These findings reinforce recent evidence indicating there is considerable night-to-night variation in OSA severity for many people, which raises concerns clinically regarding OSA misdiagnosis,” says Professor Danny Eckert, a senior Flinders University sleep researcher and FHMRI Sleep Health director.
He further suggests that high night-to-night variability in OSA severity could significantly contribute to cardiovascular disease, a leading cause of death worldwide.
The study underscores the potential to incorporate simplified monitoring approaches to aid current single-night diagnostics, which are labor-intensive and costly.
Improved diagnosis and management of OSA could potentially reduce the associated risk of uncontrolled blood pressure and subsequent cardiovascular complications.
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The study was published in npj Digital Medicine.
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