FISDAP Paramedic Airway and Breathing V2 Practice Exam 2026 - Free Paramedic Airway and Breathing Practice Questions and Study Guide

A CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine is designed to assist patients with respiratory difficulties by delivering a continuous stream of air at a preset pressure. This constant positive pressure helps to keep the airways open, effectively increasing lung volume. By maintaining an elevated pressure in the airways, CPAP prevents the collapse of alveoli, enhancing gas exchange and improving oxygenation.

The mechanism of increasing lung volume is crucial for patients with conditions like obstructive sleep apnea, congestive heart failure, or other forms of respiratory distress where airway patency and lung expansion are compromised. This helps reduce the work of breathing and can improve overall respiratory mechanics.

Understanding this mechanism is essential because it illustrates the therapeutic role of CPAP in managing respiratory failure by increasing the functional residual capacity of the lungs, leading to better oxygenation and ventilation.