Active not recruitingOBSERVATIONAL

The Effect of Continuous Positive Airway Therapy on the Blood Pressure in Sleepy vs Non-sleepy Patients With Obstructive Sleep Apnea

This study investigates how common sleep apnea treatment, like CPAP, affects blood pressure in people with the condition. The main goal is to understand if the effect on blood pressure is different for individuals who feel very sleepy during the day compared to those who don't. Untreated sleep apnea, which affects around a billion people worldwide, can disrupt sleep and lead to health problems, including high blood pressure. By reviewing data from previous trials, researchers hope to learn more about who benefits most from treatment, especially regarding their heart health. This could help doctors decide the best treatment approach for each patient.

At a glance

Status

Active not recruiting

Sponsor

King's College London

Enrolment target

10,000

Start

01 Jan 2026

Estimated completion

01 Jun 2027

Obstructive Sleep Apnea

What is this study about?

Sleep apnea is a very common condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you're asleep. This can stop you from getting a good night's rest, leading to feeling very tired during the day and can also put a strain on your heart and blood vessels over time. Around one billion people worldwide have sleep apnea, and if it's not treated, it can lead to other health issues, such as high blood pressure.

This study is looking into how a common treatment for sleep apnea, like Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP), affects blood pressure. Specifically, the researchers want to find out if this treatment works differently for people who feel really sleepy during the day because of their sleep apnea compared to those who don't feel sleepy. They believe that the level of sleepiness might change how much the treatment improves blood pressure.

The researchers are not conducting new experiments. Instead, they are using information already collected from many previous studies about sleep apnea and its treatments. By carefully analysing this existing data, they hope to get a clearer picture of how sleep apnea treatment impacts blood pressure and whether sleepiness plays a key role in these outcomes. This understanding could help doctors decide who might benefit most from treatment and how to best manage their patients' health.

Key takeaways

This study investigates how sleep apnea treatment affects blood pressure.
It specifically looks at differences between sleepy and non-sleepy patients.
Researchers are using data from past studies, so no new participants are needed.
The goal is to improve understanding of who benefits most from treatment.
Findings could help doctors tailor sleep apnea care.
Sleep apnea contributes to high blood pressure for many people.

Who may be eligible?

To be included in this study, the information must come from an earlier medical research project that looked at sleep apnea treatment.

The people in those original studies needed to be at least 18 years old and have had a diagnosis of sleep apnea, meaning they stopped breathing or had shallow breathing more than five times an hour during sleep. They also had to have been part of a study where they either received a breathing treatment for sleep apnea or were in a group that didn't receive the treatment (a control group).

If someone's data wasn't part of one of these specific previous research projects, or if they weren't in a trial testing sleep apnea treatment, then their information won't be used in this study.

Could this study suit you?

Answer these quick questions to see if you may be eligible. This is a guide only — the research team makes the final call.

Is my data part of a published sleep apnea study?
Was I at least 18 years old when I took part in that study?
Did I have a diagnosis of sleep apnea (AHI over 5) in that study?
Was I in a clinical trial that tested airway therapy or was a control group member?

Answer every question to see your result.

What does participation involve?

You won't be actively taking part in this study. This study is different because the researchers are looking at information that has already been collected from previous clinical trials. This means no new tests, treatments, or appointments are needed from you. Your personal medical information is kept private, and the researchers are only interested in the overall results from many people to answer their questions about sleep apnea and blood pressure.

Potential risks and benefits

Since this study uses information from past research, there are no direct risks or benefits to you as an individual. You won't be asked to do anything. The potential benefit of this study is that it could help doctors better understand how sleep apnea treatment affects blood pressure, especially for people with different levels of sleepiness. This could lead to improved care for future patients with sleep apnea.

Locations (1)

Some site locations are approximate. We're improving this — please verify with the trial team before travelling.

King's College London
Verified postcode
London, United Kingdom

Common questions

What is sleep apnea?

Sleep apnea is a common condition where your breathing repeatedly stops and starts while you're asleep, which can make you very tired during the day.

What is CPAP?

CPAP stands for Continuous Positive Airway Pressure. It's a common treatment for sleep apnea that uses a machine to keep your airway open while you sleep.

Will I have to do anything for this study?

No, you don't have to do anything. This study uses existing information from previous research, so no new appointments or tests are needed from you.

What will this study find out?

This study aims to discover if sleep apnea treatment affects blood pressure differently in people who feel very sleepy compared to those who don't.

Will my personal data be safe?

Yes, the study will only use anonymised data from previous trials, meaning your personal details will not be identified or used.