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Sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension among African Americans

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 19, pages 485–490 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

This study investigated differences in sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) between hypertensives without a family history of hypertension and hypertensives with a family history. Furthermore, it examined whether these two groups differed in the severity of SDB. Patients were African Americans (n=162, mean age=51.19±13.77 years; mean body mass index (BMI)=37.85±9.51 kg/m2, male=57%), who were referred to the clinic because of a sleep complaint. Sleep was recorded in the laboratory using standard physiological parameters; all parameters were analysed by a trained scorer. Altogether, 91% of the patients received an SDB diagnosis. Of these patients, 25% were hypertensives without a family history, 20% were hypertensives with a family history, and 55% were normotensives. We found a significant difference between these patient groups regarding the severity of SDB (F14,158=1.823, P<0.05), but no significant group difference was observed in the rate of SDB. Increasing weight was accompanied by increasing severity of SDB. The finding that hypertensive patients with or without a positive family history showed worse oxygenation and respiratory characteristics than did normotensives is consistent with previous research. Of note, hypertensives reporting a family history were characterized by a greater number of oxygen desaturations and apnoea hypopnoea index than those typified only by a current diagnosis of hypertension. Hypertensives with a family history are likely to show a profile of greater blood pressure, higher BMI, and more severe SDB, which by all accounts are more common among African Americans.

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Acknowledgements

This research was supported by NIA (AG12364-07S1). We thank Kant Beaugris, Lisa Bobb, and Barbara Rodriguez for their assistance in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychiatry and Ophthalmology, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, NY, USA

    G Jean-Louis & F Zizi

  2. Sleep Center, Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, NY, USA

    G Jean-Louis, F Zizi, G Casimir, J DiPalma & R Mukherji

  3. Brooklyn Research Foundation on Minority Health, NY, USA

    G Jean-Louis, F Zizi, G Casimir, J DiPalma & R Mukherji

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  1. G Jean-Louis
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  2. F Zizi
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  3. G Casimir
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  4. J DiPalma
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  5. R Mukherji
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Correspondence to G Jean-Louis.

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Jean-Louis, G., Zizi, F., Casimir, G. et al. Sleep-disordered breathing and hypertension among African Americans. J Hum Hypertens 19, 485–490 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.jhh.1001855

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