The Effect of High-Flow Nasal Oxygen on Clinical Outcomes in Patients with Acute Respiratory Failure

Abstract

Introduction: Acute respiratory failure (ARF) is a pathophysiological condition resulting from improper pulmonary function. ARF may be hypoxic, resulting from decreased oxygen supply to the body tissues, or hypercapnic, resulting from the toxic effects of accumulated carbon dioxide content in the blood. Respiratory failure is a complex phenomenon that usually occurs as a combination of hypoxia and hypercapnia. The primary treatment for ARF in critical care settings is the provision of supplemental oxygen, which may be delivered as conventional oxygen therapy (COT; low flow rate), high-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO; high flow rate) and noninvasive ventilation (NIV; continuous positive airway pressure and bi-level positive airway pressure). HFNO is a novel therapy with oxygen flow rates >15 L/min, while COT uses oxygen flow rates <15 L/min. Comparing HFNO with conventional therapies will provide insight into its safety and efficacy.