In BiPAP, what does the IPAP pressure aim to achieve?

In BiPAP (Bilevel Positive Airway Pressure), the Inspiratory Positive Airway Pressure (IPAP) plays a critical role in managing patients with respiratory distress and conditions like obstructive sleep apnea or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The primary aim of the IPAP setting is to deliver a higher level of pressure during inhalation, which helps in effectively supporting the patient's tidal volume.

By providing a sufficient pressure gradient, IPAP helps to abolish hypopnea, which is characterized by abnormally shallow or slow breathing, and desaturation, where blood oxygen levels drop due to inadequate ventilation. The increase in inspiratory pressure allows for improved recruitment of alveoli, better ventilation of the lungs, and ultimately, enhanced gas exchange.

Thus, the function of IPAP is to optimize ventilation and ensure that the patient can take in enough air, preventing episodes of insufficient breathing that lead to hypoventilation and resultant oxygen desaturation.