Sherrod Melissa McIntire, Graulty Roger, Crawford Mitch, Cheek Dennis J
Texas Christian University, Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Fort Worth, Texas 76129, USA.
Home Healthc Nurse. 2009 Nov-Dec;27(10):610-9; quiz 620-1. doi: 10.1097/01.NHH.0000364184.69226.b6.
Hospitalization for heart failure accounts for a substantial portion of the overall cost of caring for these patients and is a predictor of shortened survival in patients with chronic HF. Avoidance of readmission is critical as those hospitalized with HF face a 50% rate of readmission within 6 months and 25%-35% incidence of mortality within a year.Knowledge of this syndrome is important in order to deliver comprehensive supportive care to these patients and reduce readmissions Intravenous drug therapy is an important adjunct in this effort. This article focuses on the syndrome as it relates to intravenous agents prescribed for the patient in the home setting.
