continuous positive airway pressure
Definition of continuous positive airway pressure
: a technique for relieving breathing problems (such as those associated with sleep apnea or congestive heart failure) by pumping a steady flow of air through the nose to prevent the narrowing or collapse of air passages or to help the lungs to expand —abbreviation CPAP
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First Known Use of continuous positive airway pressure
1975
Medical Dictionary
continuous positive airway pressure
Medical Definition of continuous positive airway pressure
: a technique for relieving breathing problems (such as those associated with sleep apnea or congestive heart failure) by pumping a steady flow of air 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, The New England Journal of Medicine, 7 Feb. 2002—abbreviation CPAP; compare positive end-expiratory pressure
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