What should be monitored closely in a respiratory distress patient receiving high-flow oxygen?

In a respiratory distress patient receiving high-flow oxygen, it is crucial to monitor both blood pressure and oxygen saturation closely due to their significant roles in assessing the patient's overall physiological status and response to treatment.

Monitoring oxygen saturation helps to ensure that the patient is adequately oxygenated, as high-flow oxygen is often administered to improve oxygen delivery. A decrease in oxygen saturation might indicate that the intervention isn't effective or that there are underlying issues, such as ventilation-perfusion mismatch or worsening lung function.

Blood pressure is also an important vital sign in this context as respiratory distress can lead to compromise in cardiac output or systemic circulation due to increased work of breathing and potential hypoxia. Changes in blood pressure might reflect the body's response to the stress of respiratory issues, affecting perfusion and oxygen delivery to vital organs.

While monitoring heart rate, breath sounds, and respiratory rate is also valuable in managing a patient with respiratory distress, focusing on blood pressure and oxygen saturation provides critical insights into both the adequacy of the current oxygen therapy and the patient’s overall hemodynamic stability.