Research

Mixed

Intermittent hypoxia, the hallmark of Obstructive Sleep Apnoea/Hypopnoea Syndrome (OSAHS), induces oxidative stress by increasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, which leads to endothelial dysfunction, inflammation, and subsequent cardiovascular morbidity.

If you have OSAHS, treating the breathing disorder (e.g., with CPAP) is critical not just for sleep quality but to reduce oxidative stress and lower your risk of heart disease. The repeated dropping of oxygen levels during sleep causes chemical damage to your blood vessels; fixing the breathing stops this damage.

GoodSupportsHIGH confidence
Intermittent hypoxia, the hallmark of OSAHS, is implicated in promoting the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and inducing oxidative stress. The ramifications of increased ROS formation are pivotal. ROS can damage biomolecules, alter cellular functions and function as signalling molecules in physiological as well as in pathophysiological conditions. Consequently, they promote inflammation, endothelial dysfunction and cardiovascular morbidity.
Lena Lavie et al. · European Respiratory Journal · 2009

Why this rating

The paper is a review citing numerous clinical studies, animal models, and cell culture experiments, establishing a strong body of evidence.

Source

Molecular mechanisms of cardiovascular disease in OSAHS: the oxidative stress link

Lena Lavie et al. · European Respiratory Journal · 2009

DOI 10.1183/09031936.00086608

narrative_reviewCited 358×
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DOI resolved against Crossref · corpus check 2026-06-10

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