An early discharge strategy using subcutaneous furosemide delivered via a wearable minipump resulted in 4.0 more days alive and out of hospital at 30 days compared with usual care in patients hospitalized for heart failure requiring ongoing parenteral diuretics.
The early discharge strategy resulted in significantly more days alive and out of hospital (DAOH) at 30 days compared with usual care.
Patients in the early discharge group had significantly shorter index hospitalizations.
The benefit in DAOH was sustained at 60 days despite more heart failure readmissions in the early discharge group.
Serious adverse events occurred at similar rates in both groups, and device-related problems were infrequent and non-serious.
The study enrolled patients hospitalized for heart failure who required ongoing parenteral diuretic therapy, a population contributing to prolonged and costly inpatient stays.
This research suggests that patients hospitalized for heart failure who need ongoing intravenous diuretics (water pills given through a vein) can be safely sent home earlier if they are switched to a wearable pump that delivers furosemide under the skin. In this UK-based trial of 172 patients, those discharged early with the subcutaneous pump spent about 4 more days alive and out of the hospital over the following 30 days compared to patients who stayed in the hospital for standard care. Their hospital stays were also about 5.5 days shorter on average. The benefit in time spent at home persisted at 60 days, even though slightly more patients in the early discharge group were readmitted for heart failure (14% vs 6%). The device itself was generally safe — problems with the pump occurred in only 3% of placements and none were considered serious. Rates of serious adverse events were similar between the two groups (25% vs 23%). This research suggests that a supported early discharge model — where patients manage their own subcutaneous furosemide pump at home and are checked in on every few days — could meaningfully reduce the time heart failure patients spend in the hospital without substantially increasing safety risks. This approach could have implications for hospital capacity, healthcare costs, and patient quality of life, though the finding of more readmissions in the early discharge group warrants further study.
Campbell R, Osmanska J, Docherty K, Ahmed F, Clark A, Clayton L, et al.. (2026). Early Discharge Strategy Including Subcutaneous Furosemide in Hospitalized Heart Failure.. Journal of the American College of Cardiology. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jacc.2026.07.047