What is Inotropic Therapy? | Conditions & Tests | MedStar Health

Inotropic therapy is an infusion of medication that changes your heart’s calcium level, which helps make your heart muscle contract. The therapy can be used to slow your heart rate for better control of arrhythmias, or it can trigger stronger muscle contractions to relieve symptoms from conditions such as heart failure.

Our Advanced Heart Failure Program is one of the select programs that uses inotropic therapy as an in-home management for patients with end-stage heart failure. We also integrate our treatment with palliative care services to provide you with personalized pain management during treatment.

What to expect during inotropic therapy

Your doctor will provide you with any diet changes and exercise recommendations before you begin the therapy. When you start the therapy, you’ll be admitted to the hospital for observation. The medication will be delivered through an IV in your arm or hand. An infusion pump will provide the correct dosage at specific times.

When you return home, you will be monitored by a home health nurse, who will watch for symptoms and work with you to make dosage adjustments as needed.

Stop the infusion and call your doctor right away if you experience side effects such as:

  • Irregular heartbeat
  • Pain near the IV
  • Fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Pump malfunction

Conditions

Advanced heart failure

Advanced heart failure is a form of heart failure that has progressed to the most serious stage.

Cardiomyopathy

Cardiomyopathy is a disease that weakens or changes the structure of your heart muscle, which makes it difficult for your heart to fill with and pump blood.

Heart failure

Heart failure occurs when your heart doesn’t fill with enough blood or doesn’t pump enough blood throughout your body.

Tests

Cardiac catheterization

Cardiac catheterization is a minimally invasive way to diagnose and treat a variety of heart and vascular conditions by guiding thin, flexible tubes called catheters through blood vessels to problem areas.

Chest X-ray

Chest X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the structures inside the chest, including the lungs, heart, and chest wall.

Electrocardiogram (ECG)

An electrocardiogram, also known as an ECG, measures the heart’s electrical activity.

Our locations

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MedStar Health: Advanced Heart Failure Program at MedStar Franklin Square Medical Center

9105 Franklin Square Drive
Suite 209
Baltimore, MD 21237

410-554-6534

MedStar Health: Advanced Heart Failure at MedStar Washington Hospital Center - Main Hospital

110 Irving Street, NW
First Floor, North Addition
Washington, DC 20010

202-877-3503

MedStar Health: Advanced Heart Failure Program at MedStar Union Memorial Hospital - Calvert Street Building

3300 North Calvert Street
Calvert Street Building
Second Floor, Suite B
Baltimore, MD 21218

410-554-6534

Insurance

MedStar Health accepts most major health insurance plans. If you are uncertain as to whether your individual health insurance plan is accepted at MedStar Health, please call your insurance company.