While many terms (e.g. high flow nasal cannula [HFNC], high flow oxygen therapy [HFO/HFOT] and heated high flow nasal cannula) describe nasal high flow therapy, one stands out. Optiflow nasal high flow therapy.
Optiflow nasal high flow therapy delivers respiratory support to your patients, by providing heated, humidified air and oxygen at flow rates up to 70 L/min through the unique Optiflow nasal cannula and delivered by a device such as the Airvo 2 or Airvo 3 high flow system.
Check out the high flow Micro Moments series on the Education Hub.
Learn more about high flow therapy including; how to set up nasal high flow, how it works and why the therapy is so versatile – with F&P Micro Moments on the Education Hub
Check out the first episode below.
What is high flow therapy?
Introducing the first F&P Micro Moment!
This first episode focuses on high-flow therapy and the benefits to your patients. Watch below or jump to the second episode: "How do I set up high-flow therapy?"
Once you've watched the animation, check out this FAQ for context as to where high flow fits in to the care continuum.
High flow therapy foundations, a must-do short course.
This course will equip you with the knowledge to use high flow therapy effectively in your hospital.
Who benefits from high flow therapy, what does the evidence tell us?
Published guidelines highlight the breadth of application of high flow therapy.
Hundreds of randomized controlled trials have been consolidated into evidence-based clinical practice guidelines.
These guidelines underscore the breadth of application of nasal high flow therapy.
Flow matters
Early use of NHF in infants and children
In this edition we review the literature and provide an evidence-based approach to implementation of NHF in pediatric patients.
Read now
Putting high flow therapy into practice.
Learn what benefits NHF offered when implemented across a hospital.
- This video shows the introduction of the F&P Airvo 2 deviceTM across departments of the Royal Berkshire Hospital in Reading, UK.
- Hospital clinicians talk about the benefits found both to the patients and hospital since its introduction.
Extubation to Optiflow NHF therapy: Dr. Hernández
- This video depicts extubation to Optiflow NHF therapy.
- It is based on the procedure used by Dr. Hernández and his colleagues' in the following studies: Hernández et al. JAMA. 2016 (April)1 and Hernández et al. JAMA 2016 (Oct.)2
Optiflow high flow therapy FAQs
Explore our FAQs about putting NHF into practice.
1. Clinical practice/implementation of NHF therapy.
2. Published evidence - the science of high-flow therapy, including the mechanisms of action and patient outcomes.
Answers to these questions and more
Q How quickly does NHF work?
Q How does NHF compare to conventional oxygen therapy (COT)?
Q Is there a bedside tool to help assess NHF progress? [The ROX index]
Options for delivering Optiflow high therapy
Several systems will deliver Optiflow, review the quick guide below.
1. You can use a dedicated, standalone device such as the Airvo Optiflow systemor
2. You can use an NHF-capable mechanical ventilator. We call this a vent-driven system.
See the images below and for more details download our equipment guide.
Airvo-Optiflow high flow system
The following figure demonstrates what is required for an Airvo Optiflow system.
Optiflow high flow cannula and interfaces
Interfaces for adults (nasal and tracheostomy) and pediatrics.
Optiflow 3S
nasal cannula interface
57% more stable*, less pressure*, side swappable.
Latest NHF interface
