High flow nasal cannula—coming to a hypoxic patient near you!

Acute hypoxemic failure and need for mechanical ventilation is one of the most common indications for admission to the intensive care unit (ICU) (1). While some patients will require emergent intubation and mechanical ventilation, the majority of patients may be supported with noninvasive ventilation. Monitoring for clinical deterioration so that escalation of respiratory support can be instituted in a timely fashion is imperative for safe patient management. These noninvasive modes of respiratory support include oxygen therapy via face mask (FM), high flow nasal cannula (HFNC) oxygen and noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) [continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or bilevel positive airway pressure (BiPAP)].