Commentary

Obstructive sleep apnea and vascular disease

Paola Lanfranchi and Virend A Somers

Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

author email corresponding author email

Respiratory Research 2001, 2:315-319doi:10.1186/rr79

Published:	21 August 2001

Abstract

There is emerging evidence linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) to vascular disease, including hypertension. This relationship may be independent of co-morbidity, such as obesity. Even apparently healthy OSA patients have evidence of subtle functional vascular abnormalities that are known to occur in patients with hypertension and atherosclerosis. Untreated OSA may possibly contribute to the initiation and/or progression of pathophysiologic mechanisms involved in hypertension, heart failure, cardiac ischemia and stroke. This brief commentary will examine the evidence and mechanisms linking OSA to vascular disease.