Futurity July 25, 2024
A new study offers insight into the underlying mechanisms within the brain that contribute to hypertension for people with sleep apnea.
“When oxygen levels in the blood drop during sleep apnea, the forebrain sends warning signals to the brainstem area that controls heart and lung functions,” says David Kline, a professor in the University of Missouri’s College of Veterinary Medicine and a researcher at the Dalton Cardiovascular Research Center.
The study findings can help pave the way for new drugs that target the brainstem to bring blood pressure back down to normal levels for those with sleep apnea.
Nearly 40 million adults in the US have sleep apnea, and more than 30 million of them use a continuous positive airway...