When blood pressure won’t budge, screen for sleep apnea
Up to 80% of patients with resistant hypertension have obstructive sleep apnea (OSA).1
Looking for something specific? Jump to resource section
Why blood pressure stalls: the sleep connection
Repeated oxygen drops and sympathetic surges that occur with untreated OSA make blood pressure harder to control even with blood pressure medications.2
PAP therapy benefits
Treating OSA with positive airway pressure (PAP) can significantly lower blood pressure, especially people with resistant hypertension.2
AHA screening guidelines
The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends OSA screening for patients with resistant hypertension or pulmonary hypertension.3
Hypertension risk factors
Untreated OSA is an independent risk factor for hypertension.2
OSA screening as part of integrated care for hypertensive patients
The OSA screening toolkit gives you short, clinic-ready resources to enable easy OSA risk identification and management within the context of routine hypertensive care.
Case study
See how treating OSA with PAP therapy became a key part of managing one patient’s resistant hypertension.
Fact sheet: OSA and cardiovascular disease
The impact of treating OSA with PAP therapy on cardiovascular disease and hypertension.
Conversation guide
Practical points about sleep and heart health to discuss with your patients.
Patient education sheet
Share this handout with patients to further their understanding of sleep and heart health.
Article: OSA and cardiovascular disease
Learn how OSA screening as a standard part of cardiovascular care can help patients.
Fact sheet: OSA and comorbidities
The impact of treating OSA on comorbidities including CVD, obesity, diabetes and more.
After starting PAP therapy, Thomas* “was able to discontinue two hypertensive medications and have the dosage of the third one reduced.”
Read how Dr. Audrey Wells identified and addressed sleep apnea in a patient with resistant hypertension—and see the impact a new treatment protocol made on his health and in his life.
*Name has been changed to protect patient confidentiality.
Get the latest clinical resources directly in your inbox
Join our email list for tools and insights that help you integrate sleep care into holistic patient care.
Images shown are actor portrayals. Not actual patients.
References:
- Source: Logan AG, et al. J Hypertens. 2001;19:2271–2277.
- Source: Shiina K, et al. Hypertens Res 47, 3085–3098 (2024).
- Source: Yeghiazarians Y, et al. Circulation. 2021;144(3):e56-e57