Advanced Emergency Medical Technician (AEMT) Practice Test

Which device helps a spontaneously breathing patient by maintaining alveoli patency?

1. Bilevel positive airway pressure

2. Flow-restricted oxygen-powered ventilation device

3. Continuous positive airway pressure device

4. Automatic transport ventilator

The correct answer is: Continuous positive airway pressure device

The continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device is specifically designed to help spontaneously breathing patients by maintaining alveoli patency. This is achieved through the delivery of a constant level of air pressure throughout the patient’s breathing cycle. The sustained pressure prevents the alveoli from collapsing during exhalation, thereby improving oxygenation and ventilation. This is particularly beneficial in conditions such as congestive heart failure or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), where the risk of alveolar collapse can lead to hypoxemia. By keeping the alveoli open, CPAP enhances the surface area available for gas exchange, effectively improving the patient’s overall respiratory function. In contrast to devices like the bilevel positive airway pressure, which provides different pressures for inhalation and exhalation, or flow-restricted oxygen-powered ventilation devices and automatic transport ventilators, CPAP is uniquely focused on maintaining a single, continuous pressure to keep the alveoli open.