Changing Practices in Home Inodilator Infusion Therapy for Advanced Congestive Heart Failure

A progressive and ultimately fatal disease, congestive heart failure (CHF) is the primary reason for hospitalization of people aged 65 or older. Because this age group is the most rapidly growing segment of our population, finding effective treatments for CHF that maximize quality of life while minimizing overall costs, especially those associated with protracted hospitalizations, is of great concern. The objective of this paper is to review the current standard of care and associated costs of inodilator infusion therapy in patients with CHF and to assess the potential of home infusion care. Inodilator therapy has shown great promise in improving quality of life for patients with CHF. Moving patients from an inpatient setting to outpatient care with infusion therapy has resulted in subsequent reductions in admission rates, length of stay, and readmission rates. The next step in decreasing health care costs is to shift services from the outpatient clinic system to home care. With proper training,...