Respiratory sleeping syndrome, commonly referred to as sleep-respiratory suspension syndrome (Sleep Apnea Syndrome, SAS), has a multi-faceted mechanism, consisting mainly of the following:
I. Structural factors
Anatomical abnormalities in the upper airway: this is an important reason for the suspension of sleep breathing syndrome. These include the fatness of the nasal cavity, the curvature of the nose, the fatness of the gland, and the fatty of the tonsils. In addition, the narrowness of obese is a common structural factor. These anomalies can cause the upper airway to collapse or block during sleep, thus affecting the breathing.
Congenital anatomical malformations: developmental malformations (e.g., small acne deformations) of the gillbones, etc., which further limit the flow of airways.
Functional factors
Neuro-regulating abnormality: The nervous system plays a key role in regulating respiratory muscles. In the event of an anomaly in the neurological system, the activity of the respiratory muscles is not well coordinated, especially during sleep, where the respiratory muscles tend to be loosely incoherent, resulting in the suspension of the breathing. In addition, respiratory centres are less sensitive to low oxygen and high carbonate haematosis and are not able to regulate respiratory activity in a timely and effective manner.
Endocrine anomalies: Certain endocrine-related diseases, such as the loss of thyroid function, can lead to reduced body metabolism, mucous oedema can be drained and upper vents can cause tissue mucous oedema around the vents to narrow them. At the same time, changes in hormonal levels may affect the regulation function of the respiratory centre and the functioning of the muscles.
Other factors
Gender and age: Several studies have shown that men are significantly more at risk than women for respiratory suspension. For example, there are data showing that the proportion of male patients is two to four times that of female patients. This difference may be related to the physiological structure of men, their habits and their hormonal levels. There is also a significant increase in the risk of female respiratory suspension after menopause. This may be related to changes in post-menopausal levels of female hormones, especially the decline in estrogen levels, which may affect the structure and function of the upper airway.
Life habits: drinking alcohol and taking tranquillizers can inhibit breathing and aggravate the condition; smoking can cause edema of upper respiratory inflammation, which further causes narrow airways. Men are more likely to suffer from respiratory suspension syndrome due to a combination of physical structures, living habits, hormone levels and genetic and ethnic factors. Men should therefore pay greater attention to maintaining healthy lifestyles in their daily lives, such as the cessation of alcohol and tobacco, increased exercise and weight control, in order to reduce the risk of respiratory suspension.
IV. Specific performance of the morbidity mechanism
Interruptive sleep breathing is suspended: the upper aerobic blockage causes a pause in the breathing, in the form of a stoppage in the mouth and nose and the movement of the chest. This is the most common type and accounts for the vast majority of sleep respiratory suspension syndromes.
Central sleep breathing is suspended: during sleep, the respiratory drive in the respiratory centre is temporarily suspended, resulting in the interruption of the respiratory flow. Its morbidity mechanism is related to abnormal respiratory central functions and may be caused by a number of factors, including neurologic diseases (e.g., cerebrovascular diseases affecting brain stem respiratory centres), side effects of certain drugs inhibiting respiratory central functions, and congenital central nervous system development abnormalities.
Mixed sleep breathing is suspended: Interruptive sleep breathing and central sleep breathing are suspended simultaneously. Commences a stoppage of central breathing, followed by a stoppage of obstructive sleep breathing.
In the light of the above, the mechanism for the onset of the sleeping respiratory syndrome has a number of aspects, including abnormal aeropsychotics, abnormal neuroregulating functions, endocrine abnormalities and factors such as sex, age, lifestyle, etc. Knowledge of these morbidity mechanisms helps us to better diagnose and treat the disease.
