What Is the Treatment of Acute Respiratory Failure?
Acute respiratory failure calls for structured oxygenation management guided by defined arterial oxygen targets. The approach to oxygen delivery is chosen based on the severity of hypoxemia and the patient's clinical status.
Clinical Targets
The primary goal is to maintain adequate arterial oxygenation while avoiding both deficiency and excess.
PaO₂ 70 – 110 mmHgTreatment Approach
Management centres on oxygen delivery therapy. Several delivery modalities are considered depending on the degree of hypoxemia and underlying condition.
The full protocol specifies which delivery method is preferred and under what conditions — see the complete structured regimen below.
References
DOI: 10.1186/s40560-023-00658-3
- In ARF, the choice between the use of nasal cannula, HFNC, NPPV, or invasive positive pressure ventilation (IPPV) is based on the presence of underlying disease and severity of hypoxemia.
- It seems appropriate to follow the traditional oxygenation strategy that avoids excess hypoxemia and hyperoxemia.
- PaO2 was maintained between 70 and 110 mmHg in both groups in all studies.
- HFNC was weakly recommended for ARF over NPPV due to a systematic review reporting that HFNC for ARF is associated with lower mortality and a lower intubation rate compared to NPPV.