High flow nasal therapy in the management of hypoxemic dyspnea at the end of life

Abstract

Refractory dyspnea is challenging for physicians treating patients near to the end of life. High-flow nasal therapy (HFNT). We report a case in which HFNS was effective in a patient in the last days of life to mitigate dyspnea allowing a minimal quality of life for some days before dying. HFNT may be helpful for severely hypoxemic patients who are unresponsive to common measured adopted in the last weeks–days of life of advanced cancer patients. Future studies should assess an early use of this device in combination with lower doses of opioids or as an alternative.