Background Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) causes changes in sleep quality with accompanied nocturnal drops in oxygen saturation leading to cardiac dysrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, and more arousal. However, this sleep disturbance is an aspect of COPD that is still under evaluation. Therefore, this work is designed to detect sleep quality with type and frequency of sleep-related breathing disorders in stable COPD patients. Results This is a cross-sectional study that included 60 stable COPD patients. Full night polysomnographies were performed to all patients with assessment of their sleep quality and presence of sleep-disordered breathing. The studied patients were classified into two groups: group I (COPD with good sleep quality) and group II (COPD with poor sleep quality). The results revealed that the more severe the COPD degree, the worse the sleep quality parameters represented by sleep latency, sleep efficiency, and arousal index with a significant statistical difference (P < 0.05). Furthermore, a highly significant statistical difference was noticed regarding time spent in REM sleep among poor sleep quality patients with different grades of severity (P = 0.003). Additionally, obstructive sleep apnea hypopnea syndrome was the most frequent sleep-disordered breathing (65%), followed by nocturnal oxygen desaturation (17%) among poor quality sleeper. Conclusion Abnormal sleep quality is more common in moderate and severe COPD patients. Obstructive sleep apnea is the most frequent sleep-related breathing disorders among COPD patients. Increased BMI%, higher Berlin scores, and lower values of PaO2 and FOSQ-10 scores are strong predictors of poor sleep quality among COPD patients.

Background: The rate of hypertension increases after menopause. Whether estrogen and progesterone deficiency associated with menopause play a role in determining a worst blood pressure (BP). Hypertension (HTN) is the leading risk factor for mortality and morbidity. Isometric handgrip (IHG) training is a simple intervention endorsed by the American Heart Association as a potential adjuvant BP-lowering treatment. Aim of Study:This current study was designed to investigate the effect of isometric hand grip exercise on blood pressure on postmenopausal hypertension.Subjects and Methods: Forty post menopausal women participated in this study they complained from hypertension (diagnosed clinically byynecologist/physician), confirmed by sphygmomanometer instrument. They were selected randomly from outpatient clinic at Luxor general hospital, their age ranged from 50 to 65 years old, their body mass index were not exceed 35kg/m. and their blood pressure ranged from 140/90 to 180/110mm/Hg. They were divided randomly into two groups equal in numbers, group A consisted of 20 post menopausal women who received antihypertensive drugs and isometric hand grip exercise (4 sessions/week for 6 weeks). While group B consisted of 20 postmenopausal women who received anti hypertensive drugs only. Blood pressure was assessed by stethoscope and mercury sphygmomanometer for all patients in both groups before and after treatment. Results:The result of this study revealed that, there was a statistically highly significant decrease in the mean value of SBP in both group (A&B) with percentage of improvement 12.0% and 8.4%, respectively. There was significant decrease in the mean value of DBP in both group (A&B) with percentage of improvement 16.27% and 9.47%, respectively. Conclusion:It could be concluded that the isometric hand grip exercise is a simple, cost free and non pharmacological method in reducing blood pressure in post menopausal women and can be used as adjunct method in treatment of hypertension in postmenopausal women.