Apnea/hypopnea index and benzodiazepine use in patients with arterial hypertension and excessive weight

Sleep apnea may be associated to psychological symptoms and to increase use of antidepressant drugs. It is unknown if the use of benzodiazepines, psychoactive drugs with a depressant effect on the brain, is similar, in this regard, to antidepressant drugs use. Thirty patients with treated arterial hypertension and excessive weight (body mass index > 25), either regularly using (13 patients) or not using (17 patients) benzodiazepines, were studied, by comparing the apnea/hypopnea index measured in a sleep study in both groups. Cardiac left chamber dimensions, corrected QT interval, body weight, height and mass index, as well as cervical and abdominal circumferences, were additional parameters under study. The mean apnea/hypopnea index was found to be significantly greater in patients not under chronic benzodiazepine use, when compared to the other group of patients (21.8 ± 12.4, n = 17 versus 9.7 ± 11.3, n = 13, p < 0.05). Mean cervical and abdominal diameters were also greater in patients not treated with benzodiazepines. We conclude that, in this small group of patients with treated arterial hypertension and excessive weight, chronic benzodiazepine therapy was not associated with a greater mean apnea/hypopnea index. Further studies are needed to establish if, in fact, an inverse association might exist.