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Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Elevated Blood Pressure And Sympathetic Activation In Sleep Apnea, Onyedikachi Ojiakor
Neurophysiological Mechanisms Underlying Elevated Blood Pressure And Sympathetic Activation In Sleep Apnea, Onyedikachi Ojiakor
2018 Undergraduate Awards
Sleep apnea is one of the most common respiratory disorders affecting adult humans and preterm infants globally. The disorder has been linked with several comorbidities including obesity and hypertension, and it is prevalent in patients with stroke, heart failure, and atrial arrhythmias. During sleep, recurring episodes of hypoxia, normoxia and hypercapnia act through diverse mechanisms to alter sympathetic drive in sleep apnea patients. The purpose of this review is to illustrate the neurophysiological mechanisms by which sleep apnea promotes the elevation of blood pressure and sympathetic activity, as well as to emphasize the increased cardiovascular risk present in patients with …