Comparison of the effects of nebivolol and valsartan on BP reduction and sleep apnoea activity in patients with essential hypertension and OSA

Effect of nebivolol monotherapy or combination therapy on blood pressure levels in patients with hypertension: an updated systematic review and multilevel meta-analysis of 91 randomized controlled trials

AIMS

To systematically appraise and summarize the available evidence from published randomized controlled trials considering the effect of nebivolol on blood pressure in patients with hypertension.

METHODS

Literature search was performed through Medline (via PubMed), Cochrane Library and Scopus until December 15, 2023. Double-independent study selection, data extraction and quality assessment were performed. Evidence was pooled with three-level mixed-effects meta-analysis.

RESULTS

In total, 7,737 participants with hypertension, who were treated with nebivolol, were analyzed across 91 RCTs. Nebivolol was associated with significantly greater reduction in office systolic and diastolic BP compared to placebo (MD = - 6.01 mmHg; 95% CI = [- 7.46, - 4.55] and MD = - 5.01 mmHg; 95% CI = [- 5.91, - 4.11], respectively). Moreover, resulted a similar reduction in systolic BP (MD = - 0.22 mmHg; 95% CI = [- 0.91, 0.46]) and a significantly greater reduction in diastolic BP compared to the active comparator (MD = - 0.71 mmHg; 95% CI = [- 1.27, - 0.16]). When considering the effect of nebivolol on 24-hour ambulatory BP, notable reductions were observed compared to placebo. In contrast, compared to the active comparators, there was no significant difference in systolic BP reduction, but a significant reduction in diastolic BP favoring nebivolol. Based on moderator analyses, the impact of nebivolol on the pooled estimates remained independent of the dose of nebivolol, age, male sex, trial duration, body mass index (BMI), baseline diabetes, heart failure, and baseline systolic and diastolic BP.

CONCLUSION

Nebivolol, compared to placebo, showed a significant BP reduction and was non-inferior to other active comparators in terms of BP reduction.

Impact of Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Sympathetic Nervous System on Cardiac Health: A Comprehensive Review

A prevalent condition linked to an elevated risk of cardiovascular disease is sleep apnea. This review examines the connections between cardiac risk, the sympathetic nervous system, and sleep apnea. The increased risk of hypertension, arrhythmias, myocardial infarction, and heart failure was highlighted in the pathophysiology of sleep apnea and its effect on sympathetic activation. It is also important to consider potential processes such as oxidative stress, inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and autonomic imbalance that may relate sleep apnea-induced sympathetic activation to cardiac risk. With implications for creating innovative diagnostic and treatment approaches to lessen the cardiovascular effects of sleep apnea, the goal of this investigation is to improve the understanding of the intricate link between sympathetic activity, cardiac risk, and sleep apnea. This study aimed to clarify the complex relationship between cardiovascular health and sleep apnea by synthesizing the available research and highlighting the crucial role played by the sympathetic nervous system in moderating this relationship. Our thorough investigation may have important therapeutic ramifications that will direct the creation of focused therapies to enhance cardiovascular outcomes in sleep apnea sufferers.

Chronic intermittent hypoxia-induced cardiovascular and renal dysfunction: from adaptation to maladaptation

Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is the dominant pathological feature of human obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA), which is highly prevalent and associated with cardiovascular and renal diseases. CIH causes hypertension, centred on sympathetic nervous overactivity, which persists following removal of the CIH stimulus. Molecular mechanisms contributing to CIH-induced hypertension have been carefully delineated. However, there is a dearth of knowledge on the efficacy of interventions to ameliorate high blood pressure in established disease. CIH causes endothelial dysfunction, aberrant structural remodelling of vessels and accelerates atherosclerotic processes. Pro-inflammatory and pro-oxidant pathways converge on disrupted nitric oxide signalling driving vascular dysfunction. In addition, CIH has adverse effects on the myocardium, manifesting atrial fibrillation, and cardiac remodelling progressing to contractile dysfunction. Sympatho-vagal imbalance, oxidative stress, inflammation, dysregulated HIF-1α transcriptional responses and resultant pro-apoptotic ER stress, calcium dysregulation, and mitochondrial dysfunction conspire to drive myocardial injury and failure. CIH elaborates direct and indirect effects in the kidney that initially contribute to the development of hypertension and later to chronic kidney disease. CIH-induced morphological damage of the kidney is dependent on TLR4/NF-κB/NLRP3/caspase-1 inflammasome activation and associated pyroptosis. Emerging potential therapies related to the gut-kidney axis and blockade of aryl hydrocarbon receptors (AhR) are promising. Cardiorenal outcomes in response to intermittent hypoxia present along a continuum from adaptation to maladaptation and are dependent on the intensity and duration of exposure to intermittent hypoxia. This heterogeneity of OSA is relevant to therapeutic treatment options and we argue the need for better stratification of OSA phenotypes.

A Narrative Review of the Association of Obstructive Sleep Apnea with Hypertension: How to Treat Both When They Coexist?

Hypertension (HT) is a worldwide public health issue and an essential risk factor for cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a condition characterized by recurrent episodes of apnea and hypopnea as a consequence of partial or complete obstruction of the upper airways due to anatomic and/or functional disturbances. There is mounting evidence of a relationship between OSA and HT. In patients with OSA, HT is predominantly nocturnal and characterized by high diastolic blood pressure and usually by a nondipping pattern. Optimizing the blood pressure control is recommended in the current guidelines as the first treatment option in hypertensive patients with OSA. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) therapy may reduce blood pressure, albeit only slightly as a stand-alone treatment. CPAP, as an add-on treatment to antihypertensive medication, appears to be an efficient treatment modality when both conditions coexist. This narrative review aims to summarize the current perspectives on the association of OSA with HT and the treatment options available for adults with OSA-related HT.

Management of hypertension in obstructive sleep apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) plays an important role in the development of hypertension. Thus, this review summarizes pharmacological and non-pharmacological approaches to blood pressure (BP) control in patients with OSA. Current treatments for OSA, such as continuous positive airway pressure, are effective at lowering BP. However, they only provide a modest BP reduction, and pharmacological treatment remains important for achieving optimal BP control. Furthermore, current guidelines for the treatment of hypertension do not make specific recommendations on pharmacological treatment protocols for controlling BP in patients with OSA. Moreover, the BP-lowering effects of various classes of antihypertensives may be different in hypertensive patients with OSA than in those without OSA due to the underlying mechanisms that promote hypertension in OSA. The acute and chronic increase in sympathetic nerve activity in patients with OSA explain the effectiveness of beta blockers in controlling BP in these patients. As activation of the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system may also promote hypertension in OSA, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin II receptor blockers have generally been found effective for lowering BP in hypertensive patients with OSA. The aldosterone antagonist spironolactone also produces a good antihypertensive response in patients with OSA and resistant hypertension. However, there are limited data available that compare the effects of various classes of antihypertensive medication on BP control in those with OSA, and most data have been obtained from small-scale studies. This demonstrates the need for large-scale randomized controlled trials to evaluate a range of BP-lowering regimens in patients with OSA and hypertension.

Effect of different treatments for obstructive sleep apnoea on blood pressure

OBJECTIVE

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is a common cause of secondary hypertension. This network meta-analysis (NMA) assessed the effect of different OSA treatments on lowering blood pressure.

METHODS

PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases were searched for relevant randomized controlled trials. The search strategies included the concepts of OSA, blood pressure, hypertension, and blood pressure-reducing treatments without language or data restriction (from inception to 1 June 2021). The outcomes included office SBP, office DBP, daytime SBP (dSBP) and DBP (dDBP), and night-time SBP (nSBP) and DBP (nDBP). A Bayesian network meta-analysis was performed, and mean differences with 95% credibility intervals were calculated.

RESULTS

We reviewed 49 randomized controlled trials involving 4893 patients and the following interventions: continuous positive-airway pressure (CPAP), mandibular advancement devices, nocturnal supplemental oxygen, surgery, β-blocker, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs)/angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), renal sympathetic denervation (RDN), mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), calcium channel blockers. MRAs were significantly associated with blood pressure reduction followed by ACEI/ARB. RDN could reduce office SBP, office DBP, 24-h SBP, 24-h DBP, dSBP, and dDBP. CPAP also demonstrated modest blood pressure lowering.

CONCLUSION

MRAs and ACEIs/ARBs can reduce blood pressure effectively in patients with OSA. RDN is a novel hypertension treatment that lowered blood pressure in such patients. CPAP was associated with mild but stable blood pressure reduction, and it might be helpful as an adjunctive therapy in OSA patients with hypertension.

REVIEW REGISTRATION

This systematic review and meta-analysis was registered in PROSPERO: CRD42021240891.

Therapeutic Properties of Highly Selective β-blockers With or Without Additional Vasodilator Properties: Focus on Bisoprolol and Nebivolol in Patients With Cardiovascular Disease

Bisoprolol and nebivolol are highly selective β₁-adrenoceptor antagonists, with clinical indications in many countries within the management of heart failure with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (HFrEF), ischaemic heart disease (IHD), and hypertension. Nebivolol has additional vasodilator actions, related to enhanced release of NO in the vascular wall. In principle, this additional mechanism compared with bisoprolol might lead to more potent vasodilatation, which in turn might influence the effectiveness of nebivolol in the management of HFrEF, IHD and hypertension. In this article, we review the therapeutic properties of bisoprolol and nebivolol, as representatives of “second generation” and “third generation” β-blockers, respectively. Although head-to-head trials are largely lacking, there is no clear indication from published studies of an additional effect of nebivolol on clinical outcomes in patients with HFrEF or the magnitude of reductions of BP in patients with hypertension.

Nebivolol for the Treatment of Essential Systemic Arterial Hypertension: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

INTRODUCTION

Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of mortality worldwide, and systemic arterial hypertension is associated with a large number of these cases. The objective of health professionals and health policies should be searching for the best therapeutics to control this disease. A recent consensus indicated that β-blockers have recently lost their place in initial indications for the treatment of systemic arterial hypertension and are now more indicated for the treatment of hypertension in association with other clinical situations such as angina, heart failure and arrhythmia; however, it is known that this approach was based on studies that evaluated older β-blockers such as atenolol.

OBJECTIVE

The main objective of this study was to perform a systematic review with subsequent meta-analysis on the use of nebivolol for hypertensive disease treatment, comparing it with drugs of the main antihypertensive classes.

METHODS

This systematic review was based on a search of the MEDLINE (via Pubmed), Scopus, Cochrane, International Pharmaceuticals Abstracts (IPA), and Lilacs databases for randomized and double-blind clinical trials. In addition, we also searched for gray literature studies, to 31 July 2015. Next, a cumulative meta-analysis was performed, with studies being added in a sequential manner, evaluating their impact on the combined effect. For this project, we only meta-analyzed direct comparisons of random effect.

RESULTS

Overall, 981 clinical trials were included in this systematic review. After careful analysis, 34 randomized and double-blind clinical trials were included to investigate the efficacy of nebivolol on systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) control and adverse effects. The study population comprised 12,465 patients with systemic arterial hypertension (SAH) aged between 18 and 85 years; 17% of subjects were of Black ethnicity, approximately 55% were men, and almost 10% had diabetes. In SBP management, nebivolol was superior to other β-blockers and diuretics and showed no difference in efficacy when compared with angiotensin receptor blockers or calcium channel blockers. There were insufficient studies on angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors for adequate comparison of both SBP and DBP control. For DBP control, nebivolol was more efficient than other β-blockers, angiotensin receptor blockers, diuretics, and calcium channel blockers.

DISCUSSION

Nebivolol is a third-generation β-blocker with additional capabilities to improve blood pressure levels in patients with arterial hypertension, because it acts by additional mechanisms such as endothelium-dependent vasodilation associated with L-arginine and oxide nitric acid, nitric oxide activity on smooth muscle cells, decreasing platelet aggregation, and leukocyte adhesion in the endothelium, decreasing oxidative stress. Although nebivolol has shown good results in controlling hypertension in this study (with few adverse events when compared with placebo treatment) and has an unquestionable benefit in individuals with heart failure (mainly with reduced ejection fraction), there is a lack of studies proving the benefit of this drug for controlling hypertension and reducing clinical outcomes such as cardiovascular (or general) mortality, acute myocardial infarction, or stroke.

CONCLUSIONS

Nebivolol demonstrated at least similar control of blood pressure levels in hypertensive individuals when compared with drugs of the most used classes. In addition, in relation to the control of arterial hypertension, studies with clinical outcomes should be performed to ensure the use of this drug in detriment to others with these well-established results.

Brain mechanisms of insomnia: new perspectives on causes and consequences

While insomnia is the second most common mental disorder, progress in our understanding of underlying neurobiological mechanisms has been limited. The present review addresses the definition and prevalence of insomnia and explores its subjective and objective characteristics across the 24-hour day. Subsequently, the review extensively addresses how the vulnerability to develop insomnia is affected by genetic variants, early life stress, major life events, and brain structure and function. Further supported by the clear mental health risks conveyed by insomnia, the integrated findings suggest that the vulnerability to develop insomnia could rather be found in brain circuits regulating emotion and arousal than in circuits involved in circadian and homeostatic sleep regulation. Finally, a testable model is presented. The model proposes that in people with a vulnerability to develop insomnia, the locus coeruleus is more sensitive to-or receives more input from-the salience network and related circuits, even during rapid eye movement sleep, when it should normally be sound asleep. This vulnerability may ignite a downward spiral of insufficient overnight adaptation to distress, resulting in accumulating hyperarousal, which, in turn, impedes restful sleep and moreover increases the risk of other mental health adversity. Sensitized brain circuits are likely to be subjectively experienced as "sleeping with one eye open". The proposed model opens up the possibility for novel intervention studies and animal studies, thus accelerating the ignition of a neuroscience of insomnia, which is direly needed for better treatment.

Impact of sacubitril-valsartan combination in patients with chronic heart failure and sleep apnoea syndrome: the ENTRESTO-SAS study design

Aims

Sleep‐disordered breathing (SDB) is a highly prevalent co‐morbidity in patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) and can play a detrimental role in the pathophysiology course of CHF. However, the best way to manage SDB in CHF remains a matter of debate. Sacubitril–valsartan has been included in the 2016 European Society of Cardiology guidelines as an alternative to angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitors to further reduce the risk of progression of CHF, CHF hospitalization, and death in ambulatory patients. Sacubitril and valsartan are good candidates for correcting SDB of CHF patients because their known mechanisms of action are likely to counteract the pathophysiology of SDB in CHF.

Methods and results

The ENTRESTO‐SAS trial is a 3‐month, multicentric, prospective, open‐label real‐life cohort study. Patients eligible for sacubitril–valsartan treatment (i.e. adults with left ventricular ejection fraction ≤35%, who remain symptomatic despite optimal treatment with an angiotensin‐converting enzyme inhibitor, a beta‐blocker, and a mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist) will be evaluated before and after 3 months of treatment (nocturnal ventilatory polygraphy, echocardiography, laboratory testing, and quality‐of‐life and SDB questionnaires). The primary outcome is the change in the Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index, before and after 3 months of treatment. One hundred twenty patients are required to detect a significant 20% improvement of the Apnoea–Hypopnoea Index with a power of 90% at an alpha risk of 5%.

Conclusions

In the context of the SERVE‐HF study, physicians are waiting for new trials and alternative therapies. We sought to assess in the ENTRESTO‐SAS trial whether sacubitril–valsartan could improve the outcome of SDB in CHF patients.

Review of and Updates on Hypertension in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a prevalent sleep disorder as is hypertension (HTN) in the 21st century with the rising incidence of obesity. Numerous studies have shown a strong association of OSA with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. There is overwhelming evidence supporting the relationship between OSA and hypertension (HTN). The pathophysiology of HTN in OSA is complex and dependent on various factors such as sympathetic tone, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, endothelial dysfunction, and altered baroreceptor reflexes. The treatment of OSA is multifactorial ranging from CPAP to oral appliances to lifestyle modifications to antihypertensive drugs. OSA and HTN both need prompt diagnosis and treatment to help address the growing cardiovascular morbidity and mortality due to these two entities.

Impact of concomitant medications on obstructive sleep apnoea

Obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is characterized by repeated episodes of apnoea and hypopnoea during sleep. Little is known about the potential impact of therapy drugs on the underlying respiratory disorder. Any influence should be taken into account and appropriate action taken, including drug withdrawal if necessary. Here, we review drugs in terms of their possible impact on OSA; drugs which (1) may worsen OSA; (2) are unlikely to have an impact on OSA; (3) those for which data are scarce or contradictory; and (4) drugs with a potentially improving effect. The level of evidence is ranked according to three grades: A - randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with high statistical power; B - RCTs with lower power, non-randomized comparative studies and observational studies; C - retrospective studies and case reports. Our review enabled us to propose clinical recommendations. Briefly, agents worsening OSA or inducing weight gain, that must be avoided, are clearly identified. Drugs such as 'Z drugs' and sodium oxybate should be used with caution as the literature contains conflicting results. Finally, larger trials are needed to clarify the potential positive impact of certain drugs on OSA. In the meantime, some, such as diuretics or other antihypertensive medications, are helpful in reducing OSA-associated cardiovascular morbidity.

Effect of Antihypertensive Medications on the Severity of Obstructive Sleep Apnea: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

STUDY OBJECTIVES

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is an independent risk factor for hypertension (HTN). Increasing evidence from animal and human studies suggests that HTN exacerbates OSA. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating the effect of anti-hypertensive medications on the severity of OSA.

METHODS

A literature search of PubMed and Embase was done using search concepts of OSA, HTN, and drug classes used to treat HTN. Studies that reported changes in the severity of OSA objectively by using apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) or respiratory disturbance index (RDI) were included. Pooled mean difference estimates were calculated. Tests for heterogeneity, publication bias, and subgroup sensitivity analysis were conducted.

RESULTS

Of 27,376 studies screened, only 11 met inclusion criteria, including 5 randomized controlled trials and 6 single-arm prospective trials. The pooled mean difference estimate (95% confidence interval [CI]), based on a random-effects model, was -5.69 (95% CI -10.74 to -0.65), consistent with an overall decrease in AHI or RDI attributable to antihypertensive medications. The effect size was even more pronounced, -14.52 (95% CI -25.65 to -3.39), when only studies using diuretics were analyzed. There was no significant heterogeneity or publication bias among the studies. Meta-regression indicated neither age, baseline AHI, nor change in systolic/diastolic blood pressure influenced the results.

CONCLUSIONS

Collectively, findings from these relatively small, short-term studies tend to support the contention that treatment with antihypertensive agents confers a statistically significant, albeit small, reduction in the severity of OSA, which may be more pronounced with the use of diuretics.

Relationship Between OSA and Hypertension

There is a bidirectional association between OSA and systemic hypertension. The strengths of this relationship appear to be modulated by factors such as age, sex, and somnolence. The 24-h BP circadian pattern also appears to be influenced by OSA. Patients with this syndrome exhibit a high prevalence of nondipping or riser circadian patterns, which are related to clinical and subclinical organ damage in the heart and brain. However, the influence of OSA on nocturnal hypertension development has not yet been clarified. A special area of interest is the recognized relationship between OSA and resistant hypertension. The majority of patients with resistant hypertension suffer OSA. CPAP treatment significantly reduces BP in such patients and could play a clinical role in the management of BP in these patients. Several meta-analyses have demonstrated a concordant mild effect of CPAP on systemic hypertension. This effect is related to CPAP compliance, somnolence status, and baseline BP. The effects of oral appliances on BP in patients with OSA must be evaluated in randomized controlled trials. In the absence of additional data reported by clinical studies on other antihypertensive drug treatments, diuretics, particularly antialdosteronic diuretic agents, should be considered the first-line antihypertensive drug treatment in patients with OSA. By reducing parapharyngeal edema and secondary upper airway obstruction, these drugs appear to improve OSA severity and also to reduce BP.

The efficacy of antihypertensive drugs in chronic intermittent hypoxia conditions

Sleep apnea/hypopnea disorders include centrally originated diseases and obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This last condition is renowned as a frequent secondary cause of hypertension (HT). The mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of HT can be summarized in relation to two main pathways: sympathetic nervous system stimulation mediated mainly by activation of carotid body (CB) chemoreflexes and/or asphyxia, and, by no means the least important, the systemic effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH). The use of animal models has revealed that CIH is the critical stimulus underlying sympathetic activity and hypertension, and that this effect requires the presence of functional arterial chemoreceptors, which are hyperactive in CIH. These models of CIH mimic the HT observed in humans and allow the study of CIH independently without the mechanical obstruction component. The effect of continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), the gold standard treatment for OSA patients, to reduce blood pressure seems to be modest and concomitant antihypertensive therapy is still required. We focus this review on the efficacy of pharmacological interventions to revert HT associated with CIH conditions in both animal models and humans. First, we explore the experimental animal models, developed to mimic HT related to CIH, which have been used to investigate the effect of antihypertensive drugs (AHDs). Second, we review what is known about drug efficacy to reverse HT induced by CIH in animals. Moreover, findings in humans with OSA are cited to demonstrate the lack of strong evidence for the establishment of a first-line antihypertensive regimen for these patients. Indeed, specific therapeutic guidelines for the pharmacological treatment of HT in these patients are still lacking. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives concerning the non-pharmacological and pharmacological management of this particular type of HT.

The role of local renin-angiotensin system in arterial chemoreceptors in sleep-breathing disorders

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) plays pivotal roles in the regulation of cardiovascular and renal functions to maintain the fluid and electrolyte homeostasis. Experimental studies have demonstrated a locally expressed RAS in the carotid body, which is functional significant in the effect of angiotensin peptides on the regulation of the activity of peripheral chemoreceptors and the chemoreflex. The physiological and pathophysiological implications of the RAS in the carotid body have been proposed upon recent studies showing a significant upregulation of the RAS expression under hypoxic conditions relevant to altitude acclimation and sleep apnea and also in animal model of heart failure. Specifically, the increased expression of angiotensinogen, angiotensin-converting enzyme and angiotensin AT₁ receptors plays significant roles in the augmented carotid chemoreceptor activity and inflammation of the carotid body. This review aims to summarize these results with highlights on the pathophysiological function of the RAS under hypoxic conditions. It is concluded that the maladaptive changes of the RAS in the carotid body plays a pathogenic role in sleep apnea and heart failure, which could potentially be a therapeutic target for the treatment of the pathophysiological consequence of sleep apnea.

Drug therapy for obstructive sleep apnoea in adults

BACKGROUND

The treatment of choice for moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnoea (OSA) is continuous positive airways pressure (CPAP) applied via a mask during sleep. However, this is not tolerated by all individuals and its role in mild OSA is not proven. Drug therapy has been proposed as an alternative to CPAP in some patients with mild to moderate sleep apnoea and could be of value in patients intolerant of CPAP. A number of mechanisms have been proposed by which drugs could reduce the severity of OSA. These include an increase in tone in the upper airway dilator muscles, an increase in ventilatory drive, a reduction in the proportion of rapid eye movement (REM) sleep, an increase in cholinergic tone during sleep, an increase in arousal threshold, a reduction in airway resistance and a reduction in surface tension in the upper airway.

OBJECTIVES

To determine the efficacy of drug therapies in the specific treatment of sleep apnoea.

SEARCH METHODS

We searched the Cochrane Airways Group Specialised Register of trials. Searches were current as of July 2012.

SELECTION CRITERIA

Randomised, placebo controlled trials involving adult patients with confirmed OSA. We excluded trials if continuous positive airways pressure, mandibular devices or oxygen therapy were used. We excluded studies investigating treatment of associated conditions such as excessive sleepiness, hypertension, gastro-oesophageal reflux disease and obesity.

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS

We used standard methodological procedures recommended by The Cochrane Collaboration.

MAIN RESULTS

Thirty trials of 25 drugs, involving 516 participants, contributed data to the review. Drugs had several different proposed modes of action and the results were grouped accordingly in the review. Each of the studies stated that the participants had OSA but diagnostic criteria were not always explicit and it was possible that some patients with central apnoeas may have been recruited.Acetazolamide, eszopiclone, naltrexone, nasal lubricant (phosphocholinamine) and physiostigmine were administered for one to two nights only. Donepezil in patients with and without Alzheimer's disease, fluticasone in patients with allergic rhinitis, combinations of ondansetrone and fluoxetine and paroxetine were trials of one to three months duration, however most of the studies were small and had methodological limitations. The overall quality of the available evidence was low.The primary outcomes for the systematic review were the apnoea hypopnoea index (AHI) and the level of sleepiness associated with OSA, estimated by the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). AHI was reported in 25 studies and of these 10 showed statistically significant reductions in AHI.Fluticasone in patients with allergic rhinitis was well tolerated and reduced the severity of sleep apnoea compared with placebo (AHI 23.3 versus 30.3; P < 0.05) and improved subjective daytime alertness. Excessive sleepiness was reported to be altered in four studies, however the only clinically and statistically significant change in ESS of -2.9 (SD 2.9; P = 0.04) along with a small but statistically significant reduction in AHI of -9.4 (SD 17.2; P = 0.03) was seen in patients without Alzheimer's disease receiving donepezil for one month. In 23 patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease donepezil led to a significant reduction in AHI (donepezil 20 (SD 15) to 9.9 (SD 11.5) versus placebo 23.2 (SD 26.4) to 22.9 (SD 28.8); P = 0.035) after three months of treatment but no reduction in sleepiness was reported. High dose combined treatment with ondansetron 24 mg and fluoxetine 10 mg showed a 40.5% decrease in AHI from the baseline at treatment day 28. Paroxetine was shown to reduce AHI compared to placebo (-6.10 events/hour; 95% CI -11.00 to -1.20) but failed to improve daytime symptoms.Promising results from the preliminary mirtazapine study failed to be reproduced in the two more recent multicentre trials and, moreover, the use of mirtazapine was associated with significant weight gain and sleepiness. Few data were presented on the long-term tolerability of any of the compounds used.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

There is insufficient evidence to recommend the use of drug therapy in the treatment of OSA. Small studies have reported positive effects of certain agents on short-term outcomes. Certain agents have been shown to reduce the AHI in largely unselected populations with OSA by between 24% and 45%. For donepezil and fluticasone, studies of longer duration with a larger population and better matching of groups are required to establish whether the change in AHI and impact on daytime symptoms are reproducible. Individual patients had more complete responses to particular drugs. It is possible that better matching of drugs to patients according to the dominant mechanism of their OSA will lead to better results and this also needs further study.

Cardiovascular Regulation in Obstructive Sleep Apnea

The majority of patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) suffer from hypertension as a complication of both the metabolic syndrome and OSA. In animal studies, intermittent hypoxia that simulates changes seen in OSA leads to chemoreceptor and chromaffin cell stimulation of sympathetic nerve activity, endothelial damage and impaired blood pressure modulation. Human studies reveal activation of sympathetic nerves, endothelial damage and exaggerated pressor responses to sympathetic neurotransmitters and endothelin. Although treatment of the OSA normalizes sympathetic nerve responses, it only lowers blood pressure modestly. Agents that block the consequences of sympathetic over activity, such as β1 blockers and angiotensin antagonists have effectively lowered blood pressure. Diuretics have been less successful. Treatment of hypertensive patients with OSA usually requires consideration of both increased sympathetic nerve activity and the metabolic syndrome.