How do you describe high flow oxygen?
High flow oxygen therapy is a breathing support. Continuous, warmed (to 37 degrees) and humidified oxygen is given through a tube placed in the nostrils. Only offered if traditional oxygen therapy isn’t helping, high flow oxygen therapy helps reduce the effort your body needs to put into breathing.
How does high flow nasal oxygen work?
By creating a positive pressure environment, high-flow nasal cannula presses from the interior of the nasopharynx outwards. This dilates the radius of the nasopharyngeal airways and dramatically reduces the resistance to airway flow, thus increasing ventilation and oxygenation potential.

What is the difference between nasal cannula and high-flow nasal cannula?
When high-flow nasal cannula, or HFNC, is used to deliver oxygen, the flow rates are much higher than can be achieved with traditional nasal cannula. This results in a greater delivery of prescribed oxygen into the lungs, and less entrainment of room air.
What is the appropriate oxygen flow rate for a nasal cannula?
Flow rates of 1-4 litres per minute are used with nasal cannulas, equating to a concentration of approximately 24-40% oxygen. Flow rates of up to 6 litres can be given but this will often cause nasal dryness and can be uncomfortable for patients (British Thoracic Society, 2008).

What are the 5 mechanisms of action of HFNC?
The mnemonic (HIFLOW) will help one to remember the mechanisms of action, including Heated and humidified, meets Inspiratory demands, increases Functional residual capacity (FRC), Lighter, minimizes Oxygen dilution, and Washout of pharyngeal dead space.
What is FIO2 on HFNC?
(A) The high-flow nasal cannula circuit consists of a flow meter and oxygen–air blender connected to a humidifier. Flow rates up to 60 liters per minute are delivered to the nasal cannula via a heated circuit. The fraction of inspired oxygen (FIO2) can be titrated from 21 to 100% independent of the flow rate.
Is HFNC considered mechanical ventilation?
High-flow nasal oxygen cannula (HFNC) and noninvasive mechanical ventilation (NIV) can prevent reintubation in critically ill patients. However, their efficacy in post-extubated sepsis patients remains unclear.
Is BiPAP better than HFNC?
BiPAP has some important advantages compared to HFNC: Positive pressure reduces pre-load and after-load on the heart, improving heart failure (this works similar to an ACE-inhibitor – but easier to titrate and no nephrotoxicity). BiPAP can provide a greater amount of mechanical support for breathing.
Is HFNC better than BiPAP?
The FLORALI trial showed that in a group of patients with hypoxemic respiratory failure (mostly from pneumonia), HFNC was more successful than BiPAP at avoiding intubation and improving mortality.
Is HFNC and BiPAP same?
Is BiPAP and HFNC same?
What is high flow oxygen used for?
Based on clinical evidence, the utilization of high flow oxygen (HFO) therapy via high-flow nasal cannula (HFNC) in appropriate patients can improve oxygenation, decrease the patient’s work of breathing, and serve as an alternative to more invasive forms of treatment, such as mechanical ventilation.
What is the difference between high flow and regular oxygen?
High-flow nasal oxygen (HFNO) therapy is an alternative to standard oxygen. By providing warmed and humidified gas, HFNO allows the delivery of higher flow rates via nasal cannula devices, with FiO2 values of nearly 100%.
What is the difference between BiPAP and high-flow oxygen?
Which is better BiPAP or HFNC?
What is the difference between CPAP and HFNC?
HFNC, like CPAP, is a high flow system and is able to generate a positive end expiratory pressure, but unlike CPAP it does not have a valve [9]. HFNC is suggested to reduce the upper airway dead space and resistance [10,11].