Plasma brain natriuretic peptide in obstructive sleep apnea.

We compared brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) levels in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) with and without cardiovascular disease to BNP in healthy control subjects. OSA was not associated with increased plasma BNP or atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) in otherwise healthy subjects during wakefulness. Untreated OSA increased ANP overnight, and ANP levels decreased with treatment of OSA. However, OSA did not elicit acute overnight changes in BNP, either in normal subjects or in patients with coexisting cardiovascular disease (including chronic heart failure).