Outcomes of Heart Failure Patients on Palliative Inotrope Therapy in the Hospice Setting: A Single Center Retrospective Cohort Study.

Chronic intravenous inotropic support (CIIS) is recommended as palliative therapy for end-stage heart failure (HF) but is underutilized in hospice settings. This study evaluates outcomes for patients on CIIS receiving hospice care. Retrospective cohort study using electronic health records of patients on CIIS admitted to hospice. Twenty-one patients admitted to a mid-Atlantic hospice between 2018 and 2022. Data collected included demographics, inotropic therapy details, hospice length of stay (LOS), hospitalizations, and medication usage. The mean age was 72.9 years; 67% were on milrinone. Patients had a mean hospice LOS of 49.6 days, with 66% experiencing no hospitalizations. Only 24% of patients required high-dose opioids. 24% of patients were discharged alive from hospice, and 52% died at home. Caring for patients on CIIS in hospice appears feasible and may portend some benefits to patients. Further research is warranted to confirm these findings in a prospective observational cohort.