In this fifth installment of our Heart Failure series, we dive deep into one of the core pillars of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for patients with HFrEF: Beta Blockers.

You’ll learn:

• How beta-1, beta-2, and beta-3 adrenergic receptors work

• Why slowing the heart rate helps in HFrEF

• The evidence-based beta blockers for HFrEF (and their dosing)

• Common pitfalls in prescribing, like confusing metoprolol tartrate vs. succinate

• When to avoid beta blockers—and how to safely use them in patients with COPD or asthma

This episode is packed with pearls for clinicians working in geriatrics, primary care, and cardiology. Whether you're managing patients in the SNF, in the home, or via telemedicine, this practical review will help you optimize outcomes for patients with heart failure.

In this episode, we take a thoughtful, practical look at a topic that’s often misunderstood: hospice care. Whether you’re a clinician, caregiver, or simply someone trying to navigate the complexities of serious illness, this episode offers clarity on what hospice really is—and isn’t.

We cover:

• What hospice care truly entails from a clinical and insurance perspective
• The full range of support services patients receive under hospice, from 24/7 clinician access to spiritual care and medical equipment at home
• How to identify patients who may benefit from hospice earlier in their disease course
• How to approach compassionate, honest conversations with patients and families when curative treatment is no longer the goal

We also explore tools like the “Surprise Question” and the Serious Illness Conversation Program (SICP) that can help guide clinicians through these critical moments.

With nearly 70% of Americans wishing to die at home—but only 30% doing so—we discuss how timely hospice enrollment and skilled communication can help align care with what patients truly value: comfort, dignity, and peace.

In this fourth installment of our heart failure series, we dive into another essential pillar of guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT): the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) inhibitors. This includes ACE inhibitors, ARBs, and ARNIs—cornerstones of treatment for patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF).

Join us as we unpack how RAS inhibitors work, when to initiate therapy, and how to navigate clinical decision-making around switching, tolerability, renal function, and blood pressure thresholds. We also discuss practical considerations for initiating or holding therapy during acute kidney injury (AKI) and the evidence-based rationale for continuing these agents even with declining GFR.

Whether you're managing complex patients in the SNF, at home, or via telemedicine, this episode offers clear, clinically grounded insights to optimize care.