Trajectories of Renal Function During Heart Failure Hospitalization: Beware the Bumpy Ride!

Renal dysfunction is a harbinger of poor prognosis in heart failure (HF),1 portending a greater risk of death than the degree of left ventricular dysfunction or New York Heart Association functional class.2 Deranged renal function is not only a marker of illness severity; it may independently hasten the progression of heart failure by accelerating maladaptive physiological pathways1,2 while decreasing the likelihood that patients will receive optimal medical therapy for heart failure.3 This is particularly germane to patients hospitalized with acutely decompensated heart failure (ADHF), the majority of whom present with abnormal creatinine clearance4 and 25% of whom develop worsening renal function (WRF) while in hospital.
Source: Journal of Cardiac Failure - Category: Cardiology Authors: Tags: Brief Report Source Type: research