General Information

What is Heart Failure?

Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), means your heart can’t pump enough blood to meet your body’s needs. Over time, conditions such as narrowed arteries in your heart (coronary artery disease) or high blood pressure gradually leave your heart too weak or stiff to fill and pump efficiently.

You can’t reverse many conditions that lead to heart failure, but heart failure can often be treated with good results. Medications can improve the signs and symptoms of heart failure and help you live longer. Lifestyle changes, such as exercising, reducing the salt in your diet, managing stress, treating depression, and especially losing weight, can improve your quality of life. (Source:Mayo Clinic)

What is Home Inotropic Therapy and what does it entail? 

Inotropic drugs are commonly used to provide relief from the pain and symptoms of congestive heart failure. Home inotropic therapy is also used while patients are waiting for the implantation of an assist device or heart transplant.

The two most common drugs associated with this therapy, Milrinone and Dobutamine, are usually given continuously over a 24 hour period with an ambulatory infusion pump such as the Curlin 6000 or CADD Prizm. However, in limited circumstances, inotropic drugs are sometime gives in intermittent doses two or three times a week.

A successful experience with Home Inotropic Therapy is heavily dependent on the patient collaborating with our pharmacists and clinicians to manage the many variables associated with congestive heart failure.

Videos

Heart Talk-An Evidence-based Educational Video Series about Heart Failure

Qualidigm is pleased to offer a series of three videos “Heart Talk: Living with Heart Failure,” developed to guide health care providers, patients and their families in managing heart failure.The video series offers straight-forward information about heart failure – information that patients should know, and what all health care providers should be communicating to patients.Each of the three videos contains short modules which can be watched consecutively or individually. 

Catheter Care

Infusion Pump Information – Follow the link to learn about the CADD Solis Infusion Pump