Bilevel positive airway pressure

Bilevel positive airway pressure (BPAP), commonly referred to by the trademarked names BiPAP and BIPAP, is a form of non-invasive mechanical pressure support ventilation that uses a time-cycled or flow-cycled change between two different applied levels of positive airway pressure. It generates inspiratory (IPAP) and expiratory (EPAP) pressure gradients that complement the patient's own respiratory cycle, optimising the lungs' efficiency and reducing the work of breathing. BPAP has been shown to be an effective management tool for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acute and chronic respiratory failure.