enalapril and Snoring

Topics: Antihypertensive Agents; Enalapril; Fatigue; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Middle Aged; Periodicity; Snoring

The effects of enalapril maleate were studied in a group of 6 patients with arterial hypertension, hypertensive cardiopathy, multiple metabolic disorders and habitual snoring. Earlier treatment with antihypertensive drugs (diuretics, antiadrenergics, calcium antagonists) had been suspended when a marked deterioration was noted in metabolic parameters and plasmatic electrolytes as well as extremely disturbed sleep. The latter is probably attributable to increased respiratory obstruction during the night as a result of the increased hypertonia of the muscles of the upper air ways due to low blood potassium as well as the central and peripheral effects of the antiadrenergic drugs. After the wash-out period there was a marked improvement in laboratory parameters that continued after treatment with enalapril maleate. In particular, apart from a further slight fall in blood cholesterol and uricaemia there was a statistically significant drop in triglyceride levels. The improvement in the laboratory parameters made it possible to reduce the doses of the drugs being taken for the metabolic disorders. A distinct improvement was also noted in the sleep disturbances especially the excessive drowsiness during the day. There was also a statistically significant drop in arterial, systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure without any significant change in heart beat. The results indicate that enalapril maleate should be the treatment of choice for those patients in whom high blood pressure is accompanied by alterations to the main metabolic parameters and habitual snoring.

Topics: Aged; Enalapril; Female; Humans; Hypertension; Male; Metabolic Diseases; Middle Aged; Snoring; Triglycerides