Postural obstructive sleep apnea. Narrative literature review

Obstructive sleep apnea is a sleep-related breathing disorder characterized by partial or complete collapse of the upper airway.These collapses may involve one or several anatomical structures or spaces, making them susceptible to gravitational and pressure changes associated with positional shifts.Consequently, there is a decrease in oxygenation and an increase in carbon dioxide levels, leading to both daytime and nighttime symptoms that negatively affect quality of life and increase the risk of long-term cardiovascular, metabolic, and cognitive complications.Obstructive sleep apnea encompasses several phenotypes, one of which is positional obstructive sleep apnea, characterized by a higher occurrence of apneic events when the individual is in the most unfavorable position, namely the supine position.This narrative literature review provides an overview of the definitions, clinical characteristics, pathophysiology, anatomy, and current therapeutic approaches for positional obstructive sleep apnea.