Episode 125. Part 1 – Loop There It Is! Mastering the Foundations of Heart Failure

In Part 1 of this two-part masterclass on acute heart failure, host Jimmy Pruitt, PharmD, BCPS, BCCCP, BCEMP, teams up with Cait E. Kulig, PharmD, HF-Cert, clinical cardiology expert and creator of CAR Rx Explain, to unpack the fundamentals of heart failure in a way that finally clicks.

From defining heart failure and understanding ejection fraction to breaking down volume status and the Forrester plot, this episode delivers clear, memorable teaching pearls for any pharmacist working with cardiac patients. Learn when to hold GDMT, how to think through diuretic strategies, and what questions you should be asking your patients on admission. This is heart failure demystified—through the lens of real-world clinical decision-making.

💡 Up next in Part 2: We pick up with the adverse reactions of diuresis, dive into overcoming diuretic resistance, and discuss IV vasoactives, GDMT classes, and more.