Cardiovascular impact of obstructive sleep apnea: does gender matter?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disease characterized by recurrent upper airway obstruction, intermittent hypoxemia and sleep fragmentation. OSA is considered to be predominantly a disease of obese middle-aged men, and it is generally accepted that this disorder is at least twice more common in men than in women. Consistent evidence suggests that OSA is independently associated with cardiovascular risk; however, a significant proportion of the evidence relates to men with OSA. In this brief editorial, we will discuss if markers of cardiovascular risk and cardiovascular events observed in OSA are modulated by gender. We will then examine the evidence regarding the impact of OSA treatment on cardiovascular events in men and women.