Systems and methods for providing respiratory support to a subject by intermittently delivering pressurized flow of breathable gas to a subject are described. A system may include, for example, a pressure generator, an interface appliance configured to communicate a flow of gas generated by the pressure generator to an airway of the subject, one or more sensors, and one or more processors configured to execute one or more computer program modules. The computer program modules may be configured, for example, to determine whether the subject is ready to receive the pressurized flow of breathable gas, to initiate and/or terminate delivery of the pressurized flow of breathable gas to the airway of the subject, and to control the pressure generator and the interface appliance so as to appropriately deliver the pressurized flow of breathable gas based on a prescribed therapy regimen designed to ventilate the subject.