What is one of the effects of CPAP on a ventilated patient?

Continuous Positive Airway Pressure (CPAP) is a mode of mechanical ventilation that provides a constant positive pressure throughout the respiratory cycle. One of the primary effects of CPAP is to help inflate the alveoli, which plays a crucial role in improving oxygenation and facilitating gas exchange.

By maintaining open airways and preventing the collapse of alveoli, CPAP promotes better ventilation of the lung units, enhancing the surface area available for gas exchange. This mechanism reduces the shunting of blood through collapsed or poorly ventilated areas of the lungs, improving overall respiratory function.

The other options do not accurately reflect the primary effects of CPAP in ventilated patients. For instance, it may not significantly reduce the respiratory rate; in some cases, the patient might still require supplemental oxygen, and CPAP does not inherently reduce lung compliance. Therefore, the assertion that it helps to inflate the alveoli captures a critical therapeutic benefit of CPAP for patients experiencing respiratory distress or acute respiratory failure.