Clinical evidence of oral inotrope use for advanced heart failure (HF) is limited. This study investigated the contemporary use and association of oral inotropes with prognosis in the outpatient treatment of advanced HF using a nationwide administrative claims database in Japan. Patients hospitalized with acute HF between 2014 and 2021 were identified from the National Database of Health Insurance Claims and Specific Health Checkups of Japan. Associations of the drug use after discharge with the 2-year prognosis were examined in a propensity-matching cohort, and hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. Of the 428,650 patients discharged with HF in 4433 hospitals, 14,374 (3.4%) had taken oral inotropes, most of whom (95.0%) took pimobendan. Patients taking oral inotropes were younger and more likely to receive HF drugs. Cardiomyopathy as the etiology and the use of intravenous inotropes during hospitalization were more frequently observed. In the 2-year prognosis, oral inotrope use was associated with higher all-cause mortality and HF rehospitalization rates (HR [95% CI]: 1.59 [1.51, 1.66] and 1.54 [1.48, 1.61], respectively). Concomitant use of pimobendan and β-blockers was associated with lower mortality and HF rehospitalization (0.81 [0.74, 0.88] and 0.85 [0.79, 0.92], respectively) compared with pimobendan without β-blockers. Although no association was found between oral inotrope use and favorable prognosis, concomitant use of β-blockers may be a better strategy for oral inotrope use in advanced HF.
Keywords: clinical outcome; heart failure; oral inotropes; β‐blockers.
© 2025, The American College of Clinical Pharmacology.