The Role of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients With Hypertension

The Role of Acupuncture for the Treatment of Obstructive Sleep Apnea in Patients With Hypertension

Recent evidences from small studies show potential benefit of acupuncture in the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). These studies did not evaluate the benefit of the treatment on the cardiovascular system.

Primary end-point:

To investigate the effects of acupuncture in improving OSA severity among hypertensive patients.

Secondary end-point To investigate the effect of acupuncture in improving the quality of life and sleep assessed by the Short Form 36 (SF-36) questionnaire and Pittsburgh Questionaire (PSQI); To investigate the effect of acupuncture in blood pressure and arterial stiffness

Inclusion Criteria:

• 5<apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)<30 e/h

Exclusion Criteria:

• body mass index > 35 kg/m2
• Previous OSA treatment