Schlafbezogene Hypoventilation

In healthy subjects, respiratory regulation adapts alveolar ventilation to metabolic carbon dioxide production. A dysproportional decrease in alveolar ventilation after sleep onset with a consecutive rise in arterial carbon dioxide partial pressure is called sleep-related hypoventilation, which usually coincides with longer lasting arterial oxygen desaturation. Limits of normal pCO₂ values during sleep in the literature are inconsistent. The International Classification of Sleep Disorders (ICSD-2) distinguishes five types of sleep-related hypoventilation. As pathophysiological mechanisms, ??central?? mechanisms, caused by impairment of central nervous regulation of respiration are differentiated from ??peripheral?? mechanisms, caused by medical or neurological conditions. The diagnosis is based on the detection of hypercapnia. Taking into account the methodological limitations, this can be done using transcutaneous or end-tidal pCO₂ measurements.