How medicines after hospitalization affect recovery and returning home for people with heart failure

Post-Acute Care Medication Use and Functional Recovery in Heart Failure

['FUNDING_R01'] · BROWN UNIVERSITY · NIH-11171720

This project looks at whether common medicines given after a heart-failure hospital stay help or hinder older adults' ability to regain everyday function and go back home.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_R01']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorBROWN UNIVERSITY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11171720 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

If I'm an older adult hospitalized for heart failure and sent to a skilled nursing facility, the team will look at the medicines I'm prescribed after discharge and how those drugs relate to my ability to do daily tasks and take part in rehab. They will use medical records and nursing facility data to track medication use, functional status, and whether people successfully return home. The researchers are testing the idea that some commonly used drugs may make it harder to recover or participate in rehabilitation. Their analyses aim to identify medicines that could be changed to improve chances of regaining independence.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are older adults hospitalized for heart failure who are discharged to a skilled nursing facility after their hospital stay.

Not a fit: People with heart failure who are not hospitalized, younger patients, or those who go directly home without skilled nursing care are unlikely to be included or directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help doctors choose or change medicines to support recovery and increase the likelihood older adults return home instead of needing long-term nursing care.

How similar studies have performed: Previous research has mainly looked at readmission and death rather than functional recovery, so focusing on post-hospital medications and return-to-home is relatively novel, though medication-outcome research exists in related areas.

Where this research is happening

PROVIDENCE, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.