Prevalence and Characteristic of Obstructive Sleep Apnea Syndrome in Subjects with High Blood Pressure: A Pilot Study in Vietnam

Background: The prevalence of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is high in patients with high blood pressure (HBP), increasing the risk of mortality and morbidity due to cardiovascular events. Therefore, early diagnosis of OSA, especially severe OSA, in patients with HBP is optimal. Objectives: This study was planned to evaluate the prevalence of OSA in Vietmanese subjects with newly diagnosed HBP, and to describe its clinical, biological, and polysomnography (PSG) characteristics. Method: This was a cross-sectional study including subjects with newly diagnosed HPB without other associated severe diseases. PSG with Alice PDx device had been performed for each study subject. All anthropological, clinical, biochemical characteristics and apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) had been recorded for analyzing. Results: 186 subjects with HBP had been enrolled and studied with PSG. The results were 34 subjects were without OSA (18%; 56 ± 7 years), 28 had mild OSA (15%; 58 ± 12 years), 79 had moderate OSA (43%; 59 ± 14), and 45 had severe OSA (24%; 61 ± 13 years). Suggested findings of OSA patients were snoring at night, hypertriglyceridemia, and large abdominal perimeter. There were significant correlations between these findings and AHI in OSA patients (p<0.05, p<0.01, p<0.001). Conclusion: The prevalence of OSA in subjects with systemic HBP is high. The findings of snoring at night, large abdominal girth and hypertriglyceridemia suggest that PSG is warranted. Early diagnosis of OSA in patients with HBP may decrease morbidity and mortality.