Tag : CONTINUOUS POSITIVE AIRWAY PRESSURE

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a modifiable cause of hypertension but is often underdiagnosed. Patients with hypertension are at a higher risk for cardiac and cerebrovascular diseases and are thus recommended to undergo screening and treatment of OSA. While the continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine is the first-line treatment for OSA that helps maintain airway patency during sleep, many patients either refuse to use it or struggle to adhere to the treatment. A mandibular advancement device (MAD) is an alternative treatment method that reduces airway collapsibility by advancing the mandible during sleep. MAD has been shown to improve sleepiness and quality of life, with better acceptance and tolerance.1 However, whether treating OSA using MAD is as effective as CPAP in reducing blood pressure (BP) is unclear due to limitations of early studies. During the ACC Annual Scientific Session 2024, Professor Lee, Chi-Hang Ronald from the National University Heart Centre, Singapore, presented the results from the CRESCENT trial which aimed to compare the effectiveness of MAD against CPAP in reducing BP in patients with moderate-to-severe OSA, hypertension and high cardiovascular (CV) risk.