bilevel positive airway pressure
noun
: a technique that is used for relieving breathing problems (such as those associated with sleep apnea or congestive heart failure) by pumping a flow of air through the nose to prevent the narrowing or collapse of air passages or to help the lungs expand and that differs from continuous positive airway pressure by pumping air at a reduced pressure during each exhalation
One alternative is a unit that provides what is known as bilevel positive airway pressure, or BIPAP. It delivers more pressure when you inhale and less when you exhale, and tends to be better tolerated than CPAP.—Joseph Kaplan
—abbreviation BiPAP, BIPAP, BiPap, BPAP, BPap
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Merriam-Webster unabridged
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