Hypertension and stroke in a young man with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome

In the case reported here, a 34-year-old man with severe obstructive sleep apnea syndrome had arterial hypertension and had had a stroke that caused right hemiplegia. A review of the literature reveals a surprisingly high occurrence of arterial hypertension in subjects with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, including children. The cause of hypertension in these patients is not clear. Surgical procedures and a new nonsurgical treatment have been successful in relieving the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea. Our patient's symptoms resolved completely after uvulopalatopharyngoplasty and tonsillectomy. However, his arterial hypertension persisted.