continuous positive airway pressure

noun

: a technique for relieving breathing problems (such as those associated with sleep apnea or congestive heart failure) by pumping a steady flow of air at constant pressure through the nose to prevent the narrowing or collapse of air passages or to help the lungs to expand

—abbreviation CPAP compare bilevel positive airway pressure

Examples of continuous positive airway pressure in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In 1981, Australian physician Colin Sullivan pioneered continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), a device, fitted using a mask, that keeps the airway open during sleep. —Anna McKie, Wired News, 11 Mar. 2026

With this finding, the woman started using a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which delivers continuous air into the airway during sleep, preventing it from closing up. —Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 5 Feb. 2026

Standard treatments for sleep apnea The standard first-line treatment for OSA is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machine, which uses a mask to deliver pressurized air that keeps the airway open during sleep. —Shiv Sudhakar, FOXNews.com, 23 Jan. 2026

Right now, the primary treatment for the disease is a continuous positive airway pressure machine, known as a CPAP, which forces air down the wearer’s throat to keep it open. —Amy Feldman, Forbes.com, 12 Jan. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1975, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for continuous positive airway pressure

• acupressure
• overpressure
• flesher
• fresher
• thresher
• refresher

Medical Definition

continuous positive airway pressure

noun

: a technique for relieving breathing problems (as those associated with sleep apnea or congestive heart failure) by pumping a steady flow of air of constant pressure through the nose to prevent the narrowing or collapse of air passages or to help the lungs to expand

The most common treatment for patients with sleep apnea is to provide continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) at the upper airway, usually through a nasal mask, during sleep.

—Jeffrey M. Drazen

—abbreviation CPAP compare bilevel positive airway pressure, positive end-expiratory pressure