Residual congestion and clinical intuition in decompensated heart failure

Publication date: Available online 3 May 2019Source: Revista Clínica Española (English Edition)Author(s): J.I. Pérez Calvo, J. Rubio Gracia, C. Josa Laorden, J.L. Morales RullAbstractCongestive symptoms are the key to recognizing decompensated heart failure, whose treatment is based on reducing the congestion until a clinical situation has been reached that allows the patient to be discharged to continue outpatient treatment. The important aspect is not the degree of congestion at admission but rather the congestion that persists after energetic diuretic therapy. The persistence of congestive signs following an apparently correct and effective therapy has been called residual congestion and is associated with a poor prognosis. The tools for determining this condition are still rudimentary. Methods therefore need to be developed that enable a more accurate assessment.ResumenLos síntomas congestivos son la clave para reconocer las descompensaciones de la insuficiencia cardiaca. Su tratamiento se basa en la reducción de la congestión hasta alcanzar una situación clínica que permita el alta del paciente para continuar el tratamiento ambulatoriamente. Lo importante, no obstante, no es el grado de congestión al ingreso, sino la que persiste después de un tratamiento diurético enérgico. A la persistencia de signos congestivos después de un tratamiento aparentemente correcto y eficaz, se le ha denominado «congestión residual» y se asocia con mal pronóstico. Las herra...
Source: Revista Clinica Espanola - Category: Internal Medicine Source Type: research