CPAP is a well-established treatment that has been in use in clinical practice for more than 40 years.1-3
CPAP is an accepted alternative to routine intubation and invasive ventilation in preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome4,5 and is the preferred initial method of providing noninvasive respiratory support.6
How does CPAP therapy work?
CPAP therapy delivers a mixture of heated and humidified air and oxygen and generates a continuous distending pressure throughout the respiratory cycle by means of a sealed interface.7,8
There are different methods of delivering CPAP therapy, such as bubble CPAP, variable flow CPAP, and ventilator-derived CPAP. Bubble CPAP is a simple and economical mode of delivering CPAP in neonates, including those born preterm and those with a low birth weight.
8,9
There are multiple benefits in providing a continuous distending pressure such as splinting the upper airway, maintaining lung expansion, preventing end-expiratory alveolar collapse and conservation of surfactant.
7
Key mechanisms and benefits of CPAP therapy are: