A ventilator is a machine that moves air into and out of a patient's lungs when they cannot breathe adequately themselves. A respirator is protective equipment — a mask that filters contaminated air. One breathes for you; the other cleans what you are already breathing. The words are frequently swapped in reporting.
The core difference
Both concern breathing, and they are not interchangeable in any context.
- ventilator — a medical machine that ventilates the lungs mechanically.
- respirator — protective equipment filtering particles or gases from inhaled air, such as an N95 or FFP3 mask.
Why the confusion is common
Respirator was historically used for some breathing machines — the iron lung was called a respirator — so older sources genuinely use it that way. Current usage separates them, and the distinction matters because the two are used by entirely different people in entirely different situations.
Related terms
A nebuliser delivers medication as a mist. CPAP and BiPAP provide pressurised air without full mechanical ventilation.
This page explains the words. It is not medical guidance.
