Changes in renal function in congestive heart failure.

ABSTRACT

Both cardiovascular and renal diseases are common and frequently coexist in the same patient. Indeed, renal dysfunction has been shown to be a more powerful independent predictor of poor outcomes in heart failure (HF) than left ventricular ejection fraction or functional class. Furthermore, acute kidney injury is a frequent therapeutic concern in heart failure. Consequently, there has been much interest in developing new renoprotective treatments and novel biomarkers to monitor renal function. Additionally, given the crucial cardiorenal interaction and interdependence, the concept of a cardiorenal syndrome with five different subtypes has been advanced to better categorize patients and facilitate research.