Spironolactone therapy in resistant hypertension comorbid with mild obstructive sleep apnea: A retrospective cohort...

Mild obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is often underdiagnosed but contributes to treatment-resistant hypertension through oxygen deprivation and activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system. Spironolactone, an aldosterone antagonist, may help manage both hypertension and OSA-related symptoms. This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of spironolactone in patients with mild OSA and resistant hypertension. This retrospective observational cohort study included 96 patients diagnosed with mild OSA and resistant hypertension between December 2022 and October 2023. Patients were grouped according to whether they received spironolactone (20 mg/day) in addition to conventional antihypertensive treatment. Outcomes included blood pressure (office, ambulatory, and daytime), apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), lowest oxygen saturation (SaO2), and biochemical parameters (blood urea nitrogen [BUN], potassium, sodium, and creatinine). Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. After 12 weeks, the spironolactone group showed greater reductions in blood pressure compared with the control group: office systolic blood pressure (OSBP) decreased by 5.75 mm Hg (95% CI: -8.84 to -2.66) and office diastolic blood pressure (ODBP) decreased by 3.67 mm Hg (95% CI: -6.46 to -0.88). The AHI improved by 1.85 events/hour (95% CI: -3.23 to -0.47), and SaO2 increased by 3.33% (95% CI: 0.93-5.73). No cases of hyperkalemia or clinically significant kidney dysfunction were observed, and the treatment was well tolerated. Spironolactone was associated with improved blood pressure control and modest improvements in sleep-related parameters in patients with mild OSA and resistant hypertension, with a favorable short-term safety profile. The small sample size and relatively young cohort limit the generalizability of the findings.