The effects of arousal accompanying an apneic event on blood pressure and sympathetic nerve activity in severe obstructive sleep apnea.

Apnea-hypopneas terminated by arousal are more often present in those with current systemic hypertension but independent of sympathetic nerve activity, compared with those whose apnea-hypopnea events do not have as many arousals. One could target an elevation in arousal threshold as a pathway for reducing daytime blood pressure.