Lying horizontally with the face and torso facing up
Supine position andprone positionA man lying in the supine positionAleopard in the supine position, or dorsal recumbency in veterinary literature
Thesupine position (/ˈsuːpaɪn/) means lying horizontally, with the face and torso facing up, as opposed to theprone position, which is face down. When used in surgical procedures, it grants access to theperitoneal,thoracic, andpericardial regions; as well as the head, neck, and extremities.[1]
In scientific literature "semi-supine" commonly refers to positions where the upper body is tilted (at 45° or variations) and not completely horizontal.[2]
The decline in death due to sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) is said to be attributable to having babies sleep in the supine position.[3] The realization that infants sleeping face down, or in a prone position, had an increased mortality rate re-emerged into medical awareness at the end of the 1980s when two researchers, Susan Beal in Australia and Gus De Jonge in the Netherlands, independently noted the association.[4]
It is believed that in the prone position babies are more at risk to re-breathe their owncarbon dioxide. Because of the immature state of theircentral chemoreceptors, infants do not respond to the subsequentrespiratory acidosis that develops.[5][6] Typical non-infants realizeautonomic responses of increased rate and depth of respiration (hyperventilation, yawning).
Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a form ofsleep apnea that occurs more frequently when throat muscles relax[7] and is most severe when individuals are sleeping in the supine position. Studies and evidence show that OSA related to sleeping in the supine position is related to theairway positioning, reducedlung volume, and the inability ofairway muscles to dilate enough to compensate as the airway collapses.[8] With individuals who have OSA, manyhealth care providers encourage theirpatients to avoid the supine position while asleep and sleeplaterally or sleep with the head of their bed up in a 30- or 45-degree angle.[9][10]
^Rothrock, J. C. (2007)Alexander's Care of the Patient in Surgery 13th Ed. Mobsy Elsevier: St Louis, Missouri. p. 148.
^Petropoulou, E; Lancellotti, P; Piérard, LA (2006). "Quantitative analysis of semi-supine exercise echocardiography--influence of age on myocardial Doppler imaging indices".Acta Cardiologica.61 (3):271–7.doi:10.2143/ac.61.3.2014827.PMID16869446.S2CID25942174.
^L'Hoir MP, Engelberts AC, van Well GT, McClelland S, Westers P, Dandachli T, Mellenbergh GJ, Wolters WH, Huber J (1998). "Risk and preventive factors for cot death in The Netherlands, a low-incidence country".Eur. J. Pediatr.157 (8):681–8.doi:10.1007/s004310050911.PMID9727856.S2CID21642651.
^Joosten, Simon A.; O'Driscoll, Denise M.; Berger, Philip J.; Hamilton, Garun S. (2014-02-01). "Supine position related obstructive sleep apnea in adults: pathogenesis and treatment".Sleep Medicine Reviews.18 (1):7–17.doi:10.1016/j.smrv.2013.01.005.ISSN1532-2955.PMID23669094.
^Tuomilehto, Henri; Seppä, Juha; Partinen, Markku; Uusitupa, Matti (2009-07-01). "Avoiding the Supine Posture during Sleep for Patients with Mild Obstructive Sleep Apnea".American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine.180 (1):101–102.doi:10.1164/ajrccm.180.1.101a.ISSN1073-449X.PMID19535668.
