What is CPAP therapy?

Anyone dealing with the topic of sleep apnea will quickly come across the term CPAP. But what does it actually mean?

CPAP stands for ‘Continuous Positive Airway Pressure’. It is the gold standard in respiratory therapy and has been used for decades to treat sleep-related breathing disorders at night.

In therapy, the device generates a continuous airflow, delivered through a breathing tube and mask, creating positive airway pressure that keeps the airways securely open or opens them. The right pressure must be determined for each individual. This is generally done in a sleep laboratory.

Positive pressure therapy is extremely effective; in many cases, the symptoms of obstructive sleep apnea can be almost completely eliminated if the device is used for a sufficient duration every night. Most patients are able to sleep well with this ventilation after an adjustment period. However, the therapy must be carried out continuously at home, as it does not provide a cure but only a temporary elimination of the respiratory dysfunction through its use. An appropriate device is prescribed for the therapy. If the therapy is discontinued or interrupted, breathing difficulties usually recur immediately.

The term CPAP therapy is commonly used colloquially as a general term for sleep breathing therapy. In fact, there are other types such as APAP therapy or BiLevel therapy.

APAP stands for Automatic Positive Airway Pressure and refers to an automatic CPAP therapy. Unlike CPAP therapy, which ensures a constant applied flow at a set pressure level, an APAP device adjusts within a defined pressure range to the patient’s needs during the night. The pressure remains continuous during both inhalation and exhalation.

The basic principle of BiLevel ventilation (BiLevel Positive Airway Pressure) is that a higher pressure (IPAP = inspiratory positive airway pressure) is delivered during inspiration (inhalation) than during expiration (exhalation; EPAP = expiratory positive airway pressure). In this way, the sleep breathing therapy device supports breathing by continuously delivering a high volume of air into the lungs with each breath and lowering the pressure during exhalation to facilitate breathing out.