Obstructive Sleep Apnea as a Risk Factor for Systemic Arterial Hypertension

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder that impacts a considerable proportion of people around the world, and is often associated with other health conditions including obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. OSA is an important risk factor for developing hypertension as it leads to cyclical oxygen desaturation, sympathetic hyperactivity, poor sleep quality, frequent microarousals and daytime drowsiness. This review aims to present updated knowledge of the relationship and pathogenic association between sleep apnea and hypertension.