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13: Cardiac Infusion Therapy

DOI:

10.1891/9780826160065.0013

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is a prevalent diagnosis among home care patients and is a costly condition associated with both high morbidity and mortality. Cardiac infusion therapies may be administered in home care and home hospice settings and clearly, a great deal of home infusion therapy for patients with HF is considered palliative. This chapter discusses the most common infusion medications used in advanced HF. It differentiates the mechanisms of action between dobutamine and milrinone and summarizes the components of comprehensive care, assessment, and monitoring. Cardiac drug infusions may be continuous or longer intermittent infusions (lasting hours) and are delivered via a central vascular access device (CVAD) using an electronic infusion device. Because the home care nurse does not normally stay in the home for the duration of the infusion, there must be a level of patient or caregiver participation in infusion administration, CVAD-related care, and monitoring.