How long a person can live with respiratory failure is closely related to the severity of the patient’s condition and whether or not he or she has been treated in a timely manner, as untimely treatment can be life-threatening at any time. The life expectancy of patients with respiratory failure can not be generalized, and the severity of the disease, whether the treatment is timely and in place are related. Generally speaking, acute respiratory failure has a more rapid onset and development, and if treatment is not timely, it can lead to pulmonary edema and cerebral edema, which can lead to loss of life at any time. Chronic respiratory failure patients because of their own chronic disease, hypoxemia and hypercapnia have a certain degree of tolerance, as long as active and effective treatment survival can be relatively long. Once respiratory failure occurs, the triggering factors should be eliminated as soon as possible, and the hypoxic state should be actively relieved to avoid serious complications.