Continuous positive airway pressure ameliorated severe pulmonary hypertension associated with obstructive sleep apnea
Aiko Ogawa1, Tetsuro Emori, Wakako Sumita
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Okayama University Graduate School of Medicine, Dentistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. aiko-oky@umin.ac.jp
Abstract:
A 52-year-old obese woman was admitted to our institution for evaluation of dyspnea and pulmonary hypertension (PH). Polysomnography revealed severe obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with an apnea hypopnea index of 99.8. Treatment with nocturnal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) resulted in correction of daytime hypoxemia, hypercapnia, and near-normalization of pulmonary artery pressure. To our knowledge, this is the most severe case of OSA-associated PH (approximately70 mmHg) reported to date, and it was successfully treated with nocturnal CPAP. This case demonstrates that OSA should be considered and polysomnography performed in all patients with PH, irrespective of severity, and that nocturnal CPAP has therapeutic effects on both OSA and daytime PH.
Related Concept Videos
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Oxygen Therapy for Respiratory Failure
Oxygen therapy is vital in increasing and maintaining blood oxygen levels in PAH patients. As a result, it aids in reducing fatigue, improving...
Sleep Apnea
The condition is more prevalent among...
Mechanical Ventilation III: Noninvasive Ventilation
Noninvasive Positive-Pressure Ventilation (NIPPV)
Pulmonary Hypertension: Classification and Pathogenesis
There are various classifications for PH, each relating to different underlying causes and also...
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease-V: Management
Smoking Cessation
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
Among the PDE5 inhibitors, sildenafil (Revatio) stands out as a competitive and selective inhibitor. It operates by elevating cellular levels of cGMP and augmenting signaling through the cGMP-PKG pathway, promoting vasodilation. Upon oral...

