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Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Metabolic Risk: an Update

  • Sleep and 3D (Cancer, Cardiovascular, Metabolic Diseases) (D Gozal, Section Editor)
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose of Review

This short review is aimed at presenting the most recent literature linking obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with metabolic risk.

Recent Findings

In the last decades, substantial evidence derived from experimental, translational, and clinical studies has supported the possibility that OSA predisposes to cardiovascular diseases via activation and propagation of multiple pathophysiological pathways. While initial studies focused on the hemodynamic effects of OSA, further studies indicated that the components of OSA (especially intermittent hypoxia) also promote metabolic deregulation, including insulin resistance, impaired lipoprotein clearance, and dyslipidemia.

Summary

This review indicates that the precise effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia and the relative impact of sleep fragmentation on glucose and lipid metabolism still require further studies as well as the impact of effective OSA treatment. Personalized medicine devoting to explore potential biomarkers that predicts metabolic risk may help to prevent cardiovascular disease in patients with OSA.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Hypertension Unit (Drs Freitas, Furlan and Drager), Sleep Laboratory, Heart Institute (InCor), University of São Paulo Medical School, Av. Enéas de Carvalho Aguiar, São Paulo, 44, Brazil

    Lunara S. Freitas, Sofia F. Furlan & Luciano F. Drager

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  1. Lunara S. Freitas
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  2. Sofia F. Furlan
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  3. Luciano F. Drager
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Correspondence to Luciano F. Drager.

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Lunara S. Freitas, Sofia F. Furlan, and Luciano F. Drager declare no conflicts of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Sleep and 3D (Cancer, Cardiovascular, Metabolic Diseases)

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Freitas, L.S., Furlan, S.F. & Drager, L.F. Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Metabolic Risk: an Update. Curr Sleep Medicine Rep 4, 170–177 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40675-018-0118-3

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