Method for reducing the work of breathing
The present invention relates to a method for reducing the work of breathing. Heated and humidified air is delivered through a nasal cannula to the nasal passageway of a patient at a flow rate above 20 liters/min thereby reducing inspiratory work.
1. A method for reducing the work of breathing comprising:
generating heated and humidified air in an air generating device; and
reducing inspiratory work by delivering only the heated and humidified air to a nasal passageway of a patient through a device having a nasal cannula, the delivered heated and humidified air being at least about 95% humidified, the nasal cannula being configured to allow only the heated and humidified air to flow through the nasal cannula at a flow rate above 20 liters/min and below 40 liters/min.
2. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein heated and humidified air is delivered to the nasal passageway of the patient at a flow rate above about 25 liters/min.
3. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising maintaining the pharyngeal pressure at or above atmospheric pressure during inspiration.
4. The method defined in claim 1 , further comprising delivering the heated and humidified air at about 37° C.
5. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the heated and humidified air is substantially fully saturated.
6. A method for reducing the work of breathing comprising:
providing a gas flow generating device and a nasal cannula in fluid communication with the gas flow generating device, the nasal cannula configured to allow flow of a gas in only a single direction;
heating and humidifying a breathing gas in the gas flow generating device;
passing only the heated and humidified breathing gas from the gas flow generating device to the nasal cannula; and
reducing inspiratory work by delivering only the heated and humidified breathing gas from the nasal cannula to a nasal passageway of a patient at a flow rate above 20 liters/min and below 40 liters/min and at a relative humidity level of at least about 95%.
7. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the heated and humidified air is delivered without condensation.
8. The method defined in claim 6 , wherein the heated and humidified breathing gas is delivered without condensation.
9. The method defined in claim 1 , wherein the heated and humidified air has a water vapor content of at least about 40 milligrams per liter and at most about 50 milligrams per liter.
10. The method defined in claim 6 , wherein the heated and humidified air has a water vapor content of at least about 40 milligrams per liter and at most about 50 milligrams per liter.