Obstructive sleep apnea （OSA） is a sleep disorder with a slow course and is often accompanied by multiple serious complications， having highly consistent pathogenic characteristics with the latent pathogen. By exploreing its pathogenesis and treatment based on the latent pathogen theory in traditional Chinese medicine， it is believed that congenital healthy qi deficiency is the root， while internal latent phlegm and stasis is the branch， and external pathogenic seven emotions are causing factors. In terms of treatment， it is necessary to target at root deficiency and use nourishing medicinals according to depletion degree of lungs， spleen， and kidneys. When protecting the healthy qi， it is important to prevent the generation and inducing of latent pathogen. Simultaneously， it is also critical to put focus on phlegm stasis by clearing existing latent pathogens with medicinals having the function of dissolving phlegm and dispelling stasis， as well as regulating liver and lung qi. All these are expected to provide new ideas and methods for the treatment of OSA patients in clinical practice.

Based on the holistic view of "spleen-vessels-heart-spirit" system， this article explores the pathogenesis and progression of atrial fibrillation. It is proposed that the onset of atrial fibrillation is due to failure of the spleen to transport and disharmony of blood vessels； phlegm and blood stasis obstructing the collaterals and damage to the heart structure are the basis of its pathogenesis； the unclear mind and disorder of body and spirit are the causes of its progression. Based on the characteristics of pathological changes in different stages of the disease， it is proposed that early treatment should focus on restoring the middle jiao， clearing and promoting blood vessels， using modified Yigong Powder （异功散）； during the progression of the disease， treatment should remove blood stasis and phlegm， nourish heart and protect the pulse， using self-prescribed modified Mengshi Tongmai Decoction （礞石通脉汤）； meanwhile， calming mind and stabilizing palpitations， and regulating spirit should be sequentially incorporated， with self-prescribed Jiazao Ningmai Decoction （甲枣宁脉汤） or Shenying Dingji Decoction （参英定悸汤） and modified as appropriate. Clinical treatment should focus on the whole disease course of atrial fibrillation， implementing stage-based treatments to enable early intervention and holistic regulation.

Paroxysmal atrial fibrillation can be attributed to the category of xinji （palpitations） and zhangchong （severe palpitations） in traditional Chinese medicine， and its onset has the characteristics of urgency， change， and movement， which is similar to the characteristics of diseases induced by wind pathogen. It is believed that the internal movement of wind pathogen runs through the whole course of this disease， and palpitations due to wind as the direct pathogenesis. Palpitations caused by wind pathogen showed different characteristics of deficiency and excess pattern. In the acute exacerbation period， excess wind is the main cause of disease. For excessive heat generating wind， the treatment is to clear the liver and extinguish wind by self-modified Lingxia Qinggan Decoction （羚夏清肝汤）； for blood stasis generating wind， the treatment is to remove blood stasis and stop wind by self-modified Yandan Limai Decoction （延丹理脉汤）； for phlegm-heat accumulation with wind， the treatment is to dissolve phlegm and eliminate wind by self-modified Lianlou Danxing Decoction （连蒌胆星汤）. In the prolonged recovery period， deficiency wind is more common. For stirring of wind due to yin deficiency， the treatment is to nourish yin and extinguish wind by self-modified Zaoshao Zhenzhu Deoction （枣芍珍珠汤）； for spleen deficiency generating wind， the treatment is to strengthen spleen and nourish wind by self-modified Shenying Dingji Deoction （参英定悸汤）. Clinical prescriptions closely follow the characteristics of wind， weigh the changes of deficiency and excess， tailor with the patterns， and regulate qi and blood of the zang-fu organs， in order to extinguish wind and arrest convulsion.