Search Optiflow FAQs

Enter keyword

*Top search tip: Use an asterisk* (at the end of a word or part of a word) when using the search bar i.e. wildcard searching will give you the best result.
• e.g. searching humid* will bring up content that contains the words humid, humidity, humidification, humidifier

Is nasal high flow (NHF) suitable/recommended for the treatment of COVID-19?

This FAQ is taken from Flow matters COVID-19 edition, updated July2021. Read the full edition here. 

Yes.

NHF use on COVID-19 patients has been observed to:

  • Keep patients off mechanical ventilation and help them stay off.
  • Lower the rate of mortality.
  • Be successfully used outside of ICU settings
  • Reduce length of stay.


“[NHF] use is associated with a reduction in the rate of invasive mechanical ventilation and overall mortality in patients with COVID-19 infection.” - Patel et al. 2020.


The number of organisations who have published evidence based guidelines recommending the use of NHF for COVID-19 patients continues to grow:

  • World Health Organisation
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Health Commission of the Peoples Republic of China
  • Surviving Sepsis Campaign
  • Australia and New Zealand Intensive Care Society
  • European Respiratory Society
  • International expert consensus statement
  • Expert recommendations from a French panel consisting of members from various intensive care societies

 

Flow Matters Edition 10
Read more here. (includes all references) 
 

You might also be interested in:

 
 
PM-622638_a