Introduction
hypopneas, HTN, hypoxia, ventricular arrhythmias, OSA, arousals, hypercapnia, SDB
SLEEP-DISORDERED BREATHING, VENTRICULAR ARRHYTHMIA, HYPOXIA, HTN, COLLAPSE, OBSTRUCTIVE SLEEP APNEA
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) characterized by the repetitive episodes of upper airway complete (apneas) or partial (hypopneas) collapse during sleep, is the most common type of sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) [Activation of sympathetic nervous system resulting from intermittent hypoxia and hypercapnia, altered chemoreflex, and repeated arousals, is considered a key mechanism underlying the association between OSA and blood pressure (BP) increase [Renal denervation (RDN) was implemented as a treatment option in resistant HTN substantiated by the experimental and clinical evidence of the reduced central sympathetic activity [Due to the high sympathetic drive, OSA patients are considered a promising group who could benefit from RDN. Moreover, other protective effects of RDN are widely investigated including reduction in ventricular arrhythmias [In 2011, Witkowski et al. [However, the available data are very limited and controversial, the persistence and clinical relevance of the AHI change are questionable, and the majority of the studies are limited by 3–6 months follow-up.We aimed to test the hypothesis that the severity of SDB decreases at long-term follow-up post-RDN and this change is associated with the better BP response.The objective of this study was to assess the long-term dynamics of SDB in patients with resistant HTN after RDN and their association with BP change at extended follow-up.