True or False: PEEP is equivalent to CPAP in spontaneously breathing patients.

In spontaneously breathing patients, PEEP (Positive End-Expiratory Pressure) is indeed similar to CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure). Both techniques help maintain a certain pressure in the airways to prevent alveolar collapse and improve oxygenation by keeping the lung units open at the end of expiration. This is particularly beneficial in enhancing functional residual capacity (FRC) and optimizing ventilation-perfusion matching.

In spontaneous ventilation, CPAP provides a continuous pressure during the entire respiratory cycle, while PEEP provides pressure only at the end of expiration within a mechanical ventilation setting. However, when spontaneously breathing through a CPAP device or setting, the effect mimics that of PEEP, as both sustain pressure in the airways throughout the breathing cycle. Thus, stating that PEEP is equivalent to CPAP for spontaneously breathing patients aligns with their therapeutic purposes and outcomes.

In contrast, distinguishing contexts such as the specific pathologies that might influence the application of PEEP versus CPAP or considering different ventilation strategies may complicate the equivalence in certain cases. However, the fundamental function of maintaining end-expiratory lung volume is common to both, particularly in those who are breathing independently.