The obstructive pulmonary disorders include chronic bronchitis and emphysema. Emphysema is caused by the destruction of the tiny air sacs in the lungs, usually beyond repair. Bronchitis on the other hand occurs when irritants such as tobacco smoke and other lung irritants cause inflammation to the bronchial tubes.
The two types of sleep apnea are obstructive sleep apnea and central sleep apnea. Obstructive sleep apnea is caused when the airway is blocked, normally by the collapse of the soft tissue in the back of the throat. In contrast, central sleep apnea is caused when the brain does not send signals to the muscles to breathe. This is primarily caused by instability in the muscle control center.
Hyperventilation occurs due to rapid breathing. This process leads to the excessive breathing out of carbon dioxide therefore making the carbon dioxide in an individual’s bloodstream drop too low.
