Exploring Medicine
Treatment Options
If you’re living with heart failure, you may need medicines to help keep your heart and body healthy.
If you’re in the hospital, medicine is often given through an IV (intravenous therapy).
If you are at home, or ready to leave the hospital, your medicines will be taken by mouth.
If you’re living with heart failure, you may need medicines to help keep your heart and body healthy. If you’re in the hospital, medicine is often given through an IV (intravenous therapy). If you are at home, or ready to leave the hospital, your medicines will be taken by mouth.
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Types
Inotropes
Overview
Overview
Inotropes help your heart squeeze easier. Milrinone, Epinephrine, and Dobutamine are three common inotropic medicines your care team might prescribe. These medicines are given continuously through your IV.
Milrinone
Milrinone is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Milrinone helps the heart squeeze and relaxes the blood vessels so the heart can pump more blood to the body. This medicine may improve symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling or shakiness
- Headache
- Easy bruising or bleeding
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Epinephrine helps the heart squeeze and pump more blood to the body. This medicine may improve symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling or shakiness
- Hot flashes
- Dizziness
- Feeling nervous or excitable
- Sweating
- Headache
Dobutamine
Dobutamine is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Dobutamine helps the heart squeeze and relaxes the blood vessels so the heart can pump more blood to the body.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling
- Hot flashes
Calcium Chloride
In some hospitals, calcium chloride can be given through an IV continuously to help the heart squeeze and improve blood flow.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling
- Hot flashes
Milrinone
Milrinone is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Milrinone helps the heart squeeze and relaxes the blood vessels so the heart can pump more blood to the body. This medicine may improve symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling or shakiness
- Headache
- Easy bruising or bleeding
Epinephrine
Epinephrine is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Epinephrine helps the heart squeeze and pump more blood to the body. This medicine may improve symptoms like shortness of breath and fatigue.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling or shakiness
- Hot flashes
- Dizziness
- Feeling nervous or excitable
- Sweating
- Headache
Dobutamine
Dobutamine is used for patients with heart failure and is given through an IV continuously. Dobutamine helps the heart squeeze and relaxes the blood vessels so the heart can pump more blood to the body.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling
- Hot flashes
Calcium Chloride
In some hospitals, calcium chloride can be given through an IV continuously to help the heart squeeze and improve blood flow.
Common side effects:
- Redness
- Nausea
- Tingling feeling
- Hot flashes
