Role played by peritoneal dialysis in treating refractory heart failure

Abstract

Associated renal and cardiac diseases have a high prevalence among the population in several clinical contexts: acute renal failure in the context of decompensated heart failure (HF), HF patients who develop chronic kidney disease (CKD) and patients with CKD who develop HF. In recent years, cardiorenal syndrome has been described as deteriorating kidney function in the context of HF. However, there are other clinical situations for which nephrologists can contribute their knowledge as a part of an integral treatment strategy, as is the case with refractory HF (RHF). All of these situations require an interdisciplinary cooperative effort between cardiologists and nephrologists with the aim of providing integral treatment. This article aims to review the role of the nephrologist in HF treatment, with an emphasis on the subgroup of patients with RHF and current evidence regarding the usefulness of peritoneal dialysis (PD) as a chronic coadjuvant treatment.