title: Positive pressure therapy.
abstract: Positive airway pressure in the treatment of obstructive sleep-disordered breathing (OSDB) is reviewed. Continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP), bilevel positive airway pressure, and variable (auto-CPAP) pressure, their mechanisms of action, benefits, and complications are examined. A perspective on the future of positive airway pressure therapy for OSDB is provided.
authors.affiliation: Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pennsylvania, USA.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Strollo
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sanders
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Atwood
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011175:Positive-Pressure Respiration / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D012891:Sleep Apnea Syndromes / Q000628:therapy*; D016896:Treatment Outcome