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Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Meaning

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, universally known as CPAP, is a non-invasive respiratory therapeutic modality that employs a mechanical device to deliver pressurized ambient air through a mask, effectively maintaining an open upper airway during sleep. This intervention is the primary and most effective treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder characterized by recurrent collapse of the pharyngeal airway that severely compromises oxygen saturation and sleep architecture. Successful CPAP use profoundly mitigates the long-term cardiovascular and metabolic consequences associated with chronic sleep-disordered breathing.