True or False: PEEP and CPAP do the same thing.

The assertion that PEEP and CPAP do the same thing is not entirely accurate, making the correct response false. While both PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure) and CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) share similarities in that they both maintain a baseline pressure in the airways during expiration, they serve different purposes and are applied in different clinical contexts.

PEEP is a mode of mechanical ventilation that prevents the collapse of alveoli at the end of expiration, facilitating improved gas exchange by keeping the lungs partially inflated. It is often utilized in patients who are mechanically ventilated, serving as a therapeutic strategy to improve oxygenation and reduce the work of breathing.

On the other hand, CPAP is primarily used in spontaneously breathing patients to keep the airways open and improve oxygenation or assist with breathing without providing assisted breaths. CPAP can be used in conditions such as obstructive sleep apnea or in cases where patients can breathe on their own but still require airway support to maintain adequate oxygenation.

Given these distinctions, it is clear that while both modalities use positive pressure, their applications and effects on patient ventilation differ significantly based on the patient's breathing status and the mode of support being provided.