Inotropes and vasodilators in heart failure

With Tim Balthazar, University Hospital of Brussels - Belgium and Luca Fazzini, Papa Giovanni XXIII Hospital, Bergamo - Italy. In this episode of HFA CardioTalk, Luca Fazzini interviews Tim Balthazar on the contemporary use of vasodilators and inotropic agents in heart failure. The conversation explores the gaps in current guidelines, the hemodynamic profile of patients suited for vasodilator therapy, and the rationale behind choosing specific inotropes in different clinical settings. Tim Balthazar further discusses the management of patients on chronic beta-blocker therapy presenting with signs of hypoperfusion and the challenges in designing randomized trials in this field. The discussion also touches on the role of inotropes in palliative care, as well as future perspectives and emerging pharmacological strategies. This 2025 HFA Cardio Talk podcast series is supported by Bayer AG in the form of an unrestricted financial support. The discussion has not been influenced in any way by its sponsor.