Heart failure
Medium Term Effects of Different Dosage of Diuretic, Sodium, and Fluid Administration on Neurohormonal and Clinical Outcome in Patients With Recently Compensated Heart Failure

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.amjcard.2008.08.043Get rights and content

Studies have shown that patients with compensated heart failure (HF) receiving high diuretic doses associated with normal sodium diet and fluid intake restrictions demonstrated significant reductions in readmissions and mortality compared with those who received low-sodium diets, and over a 6-month observation period, a reduction in neurohormonal activation was also observed. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of different sodium diets associated with different diuretic doses and different levels of fluid intake on hospital readmissions and neurohormonal changes after 6-month follow-up in patients with compensated HF. Four hundred ten consecutive patients with compensated HF (New York Heart Association class II to IV) aged 53 to 86 years, with ejection fractions <35% and serum creatinine <2 mg/dl, were randomized into 8 groups: group A (n = 52): 1,000 ml/day of fluid intake, 120 mmol/day, and 250 mg furosemide twice daily; group B (n = 51): 1,000 ml/day of fluid intake, 120 mmol/day, and 125 mg furosemide twice daily; group C (n = 51): 1,000 ml/day fluid intake, 80 mmol/day, and 250 mg furosemide twice daily; group D (n = 51): 1,000 ml/day fluid intake, 80 mmol/day, and 125 mg furosemide twice daily; group E (n = 52): 2,000 ml/day fluid intake, 120 mmol/day, and 250 mg furosemide twice daily; group F (n = 50): 2,000 ml/day fluid intake, 120 mmol/day, and 125 mg furosemide twice daily; group G (n = 52): 2,000 ml/day fluid intake, 80 mmol/day, and 250 mg furosemide twice daily; and group H (n = 51): 2,000 ml/day fluid intake, 80 mmol/day, and 125 mg furosemide twice daily. All patients received the treatments ≥30 days after discharge and for 180 days afterward. Signs of HF, body weight, blood pressure, heart rate, laboratory parameters, electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, brain natriuretic peptide, aldosterone, and plasma renin activity were examined at baseline and 180 days later. Group A showed the best results, with a significant reduction (p <0.001) in readmissions, brain natriuretic peptide, aldosterone, and plasma renin activity compared with the other groups during follow-up (p <0.001). In conclusion, these data suggest that the combination of a normal-sodium diet with high diuretic doses and fluid intake restriction, compared with different combinations of sodium diets with more modest fluid intake restrictions and conventional diuretic doses, leads to reductions in readmissions, neurohormonal activation, and renal dysfunction.

Section snippets

Methods

From June 2005 to September 2007, 410 consecutive patients with compensated HF who were hospitalized previously (within 30 days) for recently decompensated HF with the following characteristics were included in the study: they had to have, according to the definition of refractory HF1 and according to Framingham criteria and NYHA functional classification,12 uncompensated HF (dyspnea, weakness, lower-limb edema, or anasarca) or NYHA class IV HF that was unresponsive to treatment with high doses

Results

Of the 849 patients admitted to the hospital for worsening HF, 36 did not show reduced urinary volume (<500 ml/day) or low natriuresis (<60 mEq/day), 102 had severe co-morbidities, 15 had side effects of ACE inhibitors, 16 had alcohol habits, 93 had creatinine levels >2.0 mg/dl and/or BUN >60 mg (on hospital admission), 97 were classified in NYHA class III on hospital admission, 24 refused consent, 11 required pacemaker implantation, and 26 did not follow the treatment protocol (programmed

Discussion

To our knowledge, this was the first investigation to assess the outcomes of different levels of sodium intake combined with different fluid intakes and loop diuretic doses in medically treated patients with NYHA class IV HF recently discharged in NYHA class II. In the present study, all patients received the same treatment during hospitalization and 30 days after discharge. This criterion allowed us to evaluate the effects of different therapeutic strategies (diuretic doses, sodium diets, and

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