Outpatient worsening heart failure: innovative decongestion strategies and health equity implications.

Abstract

Worsening heart failure (WHF) is a major clinical and economic challenge, contributing to high rates of hospitalization and significant healthcare costs. While WHF has traditionally been managed through hospitalization, recent approaches are shifting toward outpatient care to maximize patient time spent at home and optimize allocation of hospital resources. Emerging treatments like subcutaneous furosemide and intranasal bumetanide offer promising alternatives for safe, well-tolerated, and effective diuresis outside the hospital. However, these novel strategies face several challenges, including the need for clinician/staff training, patient education, logistical difficulties, and a lack of evidence in diverse populations. To ensure equitable management, it is also essential to address healthcare disparities, particularly in socioeconomically disadvantaged and rural populations. While these new treatments have the potential to improve care delivery, additional research is necessary to assess their comparative effectiveness and overcome current limitations fully.