Use of CPAP for sleep apnea reduces blood pressure for patients with difficult to treat hypertension

Among patients with obstructive sleep apnea and hypertension that requires 3 or more medications to control, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment for 12 weeks resulted in a decrease in 24-hour average and diastolic blood pressure and an improvement in the nocturnal blood pressure pattern, compared to patients who did not receive CPAP, according to a study appearing in the December 11 issue of JAMA. "Systemic hypertension is one of the most treatable cardiovascular risk factors.