What is a cpap machine used for? how does it work?

Sleep apnea: CPAP machines are used to treat obstructive sleep apnea, and they are the most effective therapy for this condition. They work by applying pressure to the inhaled air you breathe while asleep, preventing your palate or throat from collapsing and thus obstructing airflow. When tolerated by patients, 95%+ success rates are observed.

Mechanism: CPAP is considered the most effective treatment of OSA. Its beneficial effects are related to the normalization of breathing during sleep and to the prevention of nocturnal desaturations. Upper airway patency is maintained with NCPAP by a pneumatic splinting effect while changes in lung volume and pre-apnea SaO2 level may be implicated in the improvement of apnea-related desaturations.