[Sleep-related respiratory disorders: from syndromes to risk factors]

In the past, sleep related breathing disorders (SRBD) have been described rather heterogeneously in terms of complex diseases, syndromes. During the past ten years, the relevant pathogenetic mechanisms of most of the SRBD could be defined, and data concerning their epidemiology were collected. Epidemiology and dangerousness being relevant criteria, the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome must be regarded as the most considerable SRBD. According to ICSD, the prevalence of a manifest obstructive sleep apnea syndrome is estimated at 1% of the entire population at least. Our measurings have shown that more than 10% of the middle-aged (20 to 60 years) male population suffer from 10 and more mixed obstructive apneas per hour of sleep. In this group, also the other pathogenetic factors for the obstructive sleep apnea syndrome, namely hyperventilation and fragmentation of sleep due to central arousal reactions, are found. All these patients snore, and there is a broad transition from primary snoring, which has no effects on the cardiovascular system and the blood gases, via obstructive snoring up to inter-apneic snoring. With the help of today's technical equipment, it is possible to determine the role of subclinical SRBDs in terms of risk factors, e.g. for cardiovascular diseases. We expect a plain contribution to the clearing up of instances of arterial hypertonus, early invalidity, and mortality.