title: Intravenous high-dose furosemide and hypertonic saline solutions for refractory heart failure and ascites.
abstract: Several studies have shown the efficacy of hypertonic saline solution infusion in conditions in which regional organ blood flow is impaired. Our group has shown that treatment of patients with diuretic-resistant heart failure with high-dose furosemide plus hypertonic saline is effective and well tolerated, improving symptoms of congestion, reducing plasma levels of markers of neurohormonal and inflammatory activation, decreasing hospital readmission rates, and reducing long-term mortality. The same regimen was shown to be better than repeated paracentesis in patients with cirrhosis and refractory ascites, yielding better control of ascites, pleural effusions, and/or leg edema without an increase of common adverse effects linked to high-dose furosemide such as hepatic encephalopathy.
authors.affiliation: Dipartimento Biomedico di Medicina Interna e Specialistica, Università degli Studi di Palermo, Italy. bruno.tuttolomondo@unipa.it
authors.forename: Antonino
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tuttolomondo
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pinto
authors.forename: Gaspare
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Parrinello
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Licata
mesh_terms: D001201:Ascites / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D059347:Cardio-Renal Syndrome / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004232:Diuretics / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D005665:Furosemide / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007262:Infusions, Intravenous; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000150:complications*; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D004232:Diuretics; D012462:Saline Solution, Hypertonic; D005665:Furosemide