Primarily studied in neonates, it has also been found effective in some adults to treat hypoxemia and work of breathing issues.

[2] High flow was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the early 2000s and used as an alternative to positive airway pressure for treatment of apnea of prematurity in neonates.

Since it is a high flow system, it is able to maintain the wearers fraction of inhaled oxygen (FiO2) at the set rate because they shouldn't be entraining ambient air.

[17] Some patients requiring respiratory support for bronchospasm benefit using air delivered by high-flow therapy without additional oxygen.

Use of nasal high flow in acute hypoxemic respiratory failure does not affect mortality or length of stay either in hospital or in the intensive care unit.

[19][13] Stable patients with hypercapnia on high-flow therapy have been found to have their carbon dioxide levels decrease similar amounts to noninvasive treatment, but evidence is still limited as to its efficacy and currently the practice guideline is still to use noninvasive ventilation for those with exacerbations of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and acidosis.

[20] Heated humidified high-flow therapy has been used in spontaneously breathing patients with during general anesthesia to facilitate surgery for airway obstruction.