Vapotherm Blog

Vapotherm provides high velocity nasal insufflation (HVNI) with simultaneous oxygen delivery to augment breathing of spontaneously breathing patients suffering from respiratory distress and/or hypoxemia in the hospital setting. It is not intended to provide total ventilatory requirements of the patient and not for use during field transport. 

The information provided in this section is for educational purposes only. This information is not intended to support the safety or effectiveness of Vapotherm products, or diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. It is not a substitute for consultation with your healthcare provider and should not be construed as medical advice.  

Image of Vapotherm CEO Joe Army and Vapotherm Sr. Manufacturing Manager Jay Dow in the Vapotherm Clean Room wearing masks, gowns, and hair covers

We’re here for you. A COVID-19 update from CEO Joe Army

The pandemic isn’t over. Vapotherm CEO Joe Army brings you to our Exeter, NH headquarters to share what we’ve been up to to best support you and your patients.

Thinking Outside the Mask with COPD

Clinicians familiar with literature on Vapotherm high velocity therapy are already aware that Vapotherm therapy has been clinically proven to be comparable to noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NiPPV) when treating respiratory distress in spontaneously breathing patients. In a 2018 randomized, controlled, multi-center noninferiority trial, Doshi and colleagues compared the efficacy of a mask-free form of NIV (Vapotherm high velocity therapy) to an established respiratory support modality (NiPPV).

Image of female patient with a Vapotherm cannula. A Vapotherm Precision Flow unit is being adjusted in the background.

New Analysis Suggests Vapotherm High Velocity Therapy May Be as Effective as Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation (NiPPV) Among Studied Hypercapnic Patients

In April 2020, Doshi and colleagues published the results of a subgroup analysis in Heart & Lung titled “The ventilatory effect of high velocity nasal insufflation compared to non-invasive positive-pressure ventilation in the treatment of hypercapneic respiratory failure: a subgroup analysis.” The analyses examined the hypercapnic sub-population of a multi-center, randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial.

Image of a busy hospital corridor

Velocity – Ep 5 – An ED Physician and COVID-19 Patient

Dr. Louis Philip Rotkowitz is an ER doctor out of Queens, NYC. Like so many other health care professionals, he would find himself fighting COVID-19 as a patient. In this episode, Dr. Rotkowitz reflects on his experience in a conversation with fellow ER physician, Dr. Kirk Hinkley.

Image of a female patient sleeping with a surgical mask. A Vapotherm Precision Flow unit is visible next to the bed.

COVID-19 Best Practices with Vapotherm High Velocity Therapy

The last weeks have proven to be a steep learning curve for COVID-19 respiratory symptom management. Here is a quick list of best practices for Vapotherm high velocity therapy. Remember: No Need to Intubate Everyone When COVID-19 first broke out, the initial course of symptom management across many locales was early intubation.

Image of a patient with a surgical mask. A Vapotherm Precision Flow unit is visible in the background.

COPD Patients and COVID-19 – Understanding the Scope of High Velocity Therapy

We’ve known that people with underlying conditions are at greater risk for worse COVID-19 outcomes. Thanks to the research of Leung and colleagues, we now better understand some of the mechanisms that may be exacerbating the outcomes for smokers and COPDers who contract COVID-19.

High Velocity Therapy for Post-Extubation Support

With the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we’re paying a lot of attention to ventilators as tools to help critically ill patients. Eventually those patients are being extubated and it’s well-known that failed extubation is associated with an increased risk of mortality and morbidity. So, what tools are helping those patients through post-extubation?

Image of a male patient wearing a surgical mask. A Vapotherm Precision Flow unit is visible in the background.

The Need for Airway Humidification in COVID-19 Patients

It is well-known that for the respiratory system to function optimally and for alveolar gas exchange to happen, the inhaled gas has to be near 100% relative humidity. A healthy airway heats and humidifies each breath in order to preserve its functionality and ability to defend from pathogens through mucociliary clearance.

Image of a female patient sleeping with a surgical mask.

To Intubate COVID-19 Patients, or Not?

Some of the early studies from the Wuhan Province noted the very high mortality rates of COVID-19 patients who were put on mechanical ventilation (MV) — 81% and 97%. The authors of those studies urged the need for further studies and discussed that those outcomes could be correlated with the fact that those patients needing MV already had very severe disease progression.

Image of Jordan Kinett

Recovering from COVID-19 – Jordan Kinnett’s Story

Vapotherm’s Hi-VNI® Technology is a tool for treating respiratory distress. Vapotherm does not practice medicine or provide medical services or advice, any clinical recommendations provided herein are solely those of the speaker. Practitioners should refer to the full indications for use and operating instructions of any products referenced before use.