Research Topic · Peer-Reviewed

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure

Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is a noninvasive ventilatory therapy that delivers a constant stream of pressurized air through a mask to keep the upper airway open during sleep. It is the principal treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which the pharyngeal airway repeatedly narrows or c…

Curated from this journal's research 📚 5 peer-reviewed articles cited Cited 4× across the literature 🔖 ISSN 2574-4518 🗓 Reviewed June 2026

Overview

Continuous positive airway pressure, or CPAP, is a noninvasive ventilatory therapy that delivers a constant stream of pressurized air through a mask to keep the upper airway open during sleep. It is the principal treatment for obstructive sleep apnea, a disorder in which the pharyngeal airway repeatedly narrows or collapses, producing apneas and hypopneas that fragment sleep and cause intermittent drops in blood oxygen. By maintaining positive pressure throughout the respiratory cycle, CPAP acts as a pneumatic splint that prevents these obstructive events, restoring normal breathing and sleep architecture. Effective therapy reduces daytime sleepiness and is associated with benefits for cardiovascular and metabolic health, addressing consequences of untreated apnea such as hypertension and impaired daytime function. CPAP systems consist of a flow generator, tubing, and an interface, with pressure set to the level needed to abolish events; related modalities include automatically adjusting and bilevel devices, and alternative approaches such as nasal expiratory positive airway pressure devices that generate resistance during exhalation. The main limitation of CPAP is adherence, since tolerance of the mask and airflow varies among patients, prompting attention to interface fit, humidification, and pressure comfort. Within the broader management of sleep-disordered breathing, CPAP remains a foundational, evidence-based intervention for controlling obstructive sleep apnea and its associated health risks.

Research published in this journal

5 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.

How this research is being cited

The 5 articles above have been cited 4 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.

A sample of recent works citing this journal's research on Continuous Positive Airway Pressure, linking to each citing work.

Editorial oversight

Curated from peer-reviewed research published in Sleep And Sleep Disorder Research (ISSN 2574-4518).

Journal editorial board
Dragos Octavian Palade · Romania Mauro Manconi · Switzerland Karim Sedky · United States

This page summarises published research for orientation; it is not medical or professional advice.