Managing inotrope therapy noninvasively

Intermittent and continuous outpatient and home inotrope infusions have contributed to a decreased mortality rate and improved quality of life in the patient with end-stage congestive heat failure. Before the advent of noninvasive hemodynamic monitoring, available with thoracic electrical bioimpedance, initial dosage and titration were determined solely with invasively acquired data requiring hospital admission or with patients' subjective data. Thoracic electrical bioimpedance monitoring of patients receiving inotrope therapy provides objective documentation of drug efficacy, developing tolerance, and optimal dosage.