Heart Failure
“Mini-invasive methods of extracorporeal removal of excess intravascular fluids have been introduced using a peripheral needle”.
Congestive heart failure is a syndrome characterized by ventricular dysfunction. Failure of the left ventricle causes dyspnea and asthenia, while failure of the right ventricle causes blood stasis with accumulation of fluids in the abdominal and peripheral areas.
The ventricles can be involved together or separately. Heart failure represents the leading cause of hospitalization among those aged over 65 and the leading cause of death among cardiovascular diseases in Italy. It is estimated that around 1.7% of the population suffers from it (around 1 million people), with an incidence of 200,000 new cases per year. Furthermore, the prevalence grows exponentially with age: less than 1% up to 60 years of age and up to 20% after 80 years of age.
Mortality in patients suffering from heart failure, despite numerous advances still remains extremely high today. It is estimated that 37% of NYHA class IV heart failure patients do not survive more than 1 year.
The main causes related to congestive heart failure are represented by coronary/valvular diseases, arterial hypertension, cardiomyopathies, and supraventricular arrhythmias, including atrial fibrillation.
Treatment includes diuretics, ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor inhibitors, β-blockers, aldosterone antagonists, neprilysin inhibitors, implantable pacemakers/defibrillators and other devices, and correction of the cause(s) of the failure syndrome cardiac.
The removal of excess fluids typical of this pathology is normally achieved through the administration of diuretics, but it is often the cause of systemic neurohormonal activation capable of leading, in the medium to long term, to a reduction in already compromised renal function. This problem leads to periodic hospitalizations of patients due to excessive accumulations of fluid. It is estimated that NYHA class III and IV patients are hospitalized more than 4 times a year. A significant percentage of these patients (approximately 20-30%) therefore develop resistance to diuretic therapy.
Minimally invasive methods of extracorporeal removal, using a peripheral needle, of excess intravascular fluids have been introduced. These ultrafiltration treatments, conducted in a day-hospital setting, allow rapid and effective removal, capable of improving patients’ symptoms.
Molecules to remove: Excess Intravascular Fluid
Recommended Therapy: CARDIOsmart