Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP) is a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) mode used during noninvasive positive pressure ventilation. It delivers a preset inspiratory positive airway pressure (IPAP) and expiratory positive airway pressure (EPAP). B_PAP can be described as a continuous positive airway pressure system with a time-cycled or flow-cycled change of the applied CPAP level. C_PAP, B_PAP and other non-invasive ventilation modes have been shown to be effective management tools for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute respiratory failure. Another term for bilevel positive airway pressure, and the term becoming increasingly adopted by the medical community, is non-invasive positive pressure ventilation (NIPPV) or non-invasive ventilation (NIV).