Speakers
Prof. Cheuk-Chun Szeto
Dr. CC Szeto is currently a Professor of Department of Medicine & Therapeutics, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, and a Honorary Consultant Physician of Prince of Wales Hospital, Hong Kong Hospital Authority. His research interests include cardiovascular disease in renal failure, peritoneal dialysis related infections, vascular disease of renal failure, circulating bacterial fragment, urinary biomarkers, and glomerular diseases.
Abstract
What's beyond the treatment of hyponatremia in heart failure
Hyponatremia is present in over 20% of patients admitted to hospital with heart failure, and is associated with poor short- and long-term outcomes. There are two major pathogenic mechanisms of hyponatremia in heart failure: volume overload with excessive secretion of arginine vasopressin (AVP), which is a result of reduction in cardiac output and activation of intravascular volume sensor, and hypovolemic hyponatremia due to excessive use of diuretic agents. In addition to fluid restriction and loop diuretics, AVP antagonists have become a promising treatment option for patients with heart failure, especially when hyponatremia is present. Other options include isolated extracorporeal ultrafiltration and combination therapy of hypertonic saline and loop diuretics are possible but complicated to be used. In this lecture, I shall summarize the current literature on the pathogenesis and management of hyponatremia in patients with heart failure.