Peritoneal Dialysis in Advanced Heart Failure Patients with Chronic Severe Congestion Resistant to Optimal Pharmacological Treatment.

Abstract

Resistant congestion is a difficult clinical picture in advanced heart failure with poor quality of life, worse functional capacity, and frequent hospitalizations. Optimal medical treatment is the first-line therapy. However, diuretic resistance, comorbid conditions such as chronic kidney disease, and obstacles in drug up-titration make it difficult to control congestion. In some of these cases, hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis is required for short or long-term ultrafiltration therapy. Peritoneal dialysis is a more comfortable treatment option for this group of patients because of the slower and longer duration of ultrafiltration, better preservation of residual renal function, ability to be performed at home, and mobility of the patient during the procedure. In this review, home peritoneal dialysis/ultrafiltration methods have been addressed as an alternative treatment option in advanced heart failure patients with chronic severe congestion resistant to optimal pharmacological treatment.