Stroke and obstructive sleep apnea. what is the evidence of the relationship?

Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a respiratory sleep disorder, whose prevalence is increasing worldwide and the importance of its diagnosis lies in the association with cardiac and cerebral vascular events, metabolic disorders, impairment of some mental functions, work accidents, traffic accidents and increased mortality. In the last 20 years, important evidence has been obtained of the relationship between OSAS and one of the main cardiovascular risk factors, arterial hypertension; which at the same time is an etiological factor of ischemic stroke. Subsequently, evidence of the association between OSAS and ischemic stroke has been increasing. We have reviewed the best evidence to establish the relationship between the two pathologies, the proposed pathophysiological mechanisms and the evidence to support whether the treatment of OSAS has any impact on the occurrence of ischemic stroke and on modify the clinical evolution after strok