Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome(OSAS) is a common chronic sleep breathing disorder characterized by repeated upper airway collapse during sleep,and is associated with hyperlipidemia,atherosclerosis,and cardiovascular risks.In recent years,studies have confirmed that OSAS is an independent risk factor for the formation of atherosclerosis(AS) and will accelerate the occurrence and development of AS.At present,there are theories that one of the key factors in the occurrence of atherosclerosis is the imbalance between the supply and demand of oxygen in the arterial wall,and the typical feature of OSAS is chronic intermittent hypoxia(CIH),so it is speculated that CIH may be an intermediate mechanism for OSAS to accelerate the formation of AS.However,the specific mechanism has not yet been fully clarified,so this paper summarizes its possible mechanism as follows,in order to provide enlightenment for clinical treatment and research.