Patients with heart failure are, by definition, hemodynamic unstable. Often, this condition may be accentuated by medication (digitalis, diuretics, antiarrhythmics), so that they become more sensitive to electrolyte disturbances, reacting sometimes violently with severe and life threatening rhythm troubles.
Aim: the evaluation of the incidence of electrolyte disturbances in patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure in order to establish a correlation with the evolution, prognosis and therapeutic implications.
Material and methods: We analyzed retrospectively 100 patients diagnosed with chronic heart failure NYHA II-IV classes, admitted in Cardiology Clinic during 2009-2011. We analyzed electrolytic disturbances occurred during different strategies of therapy.
Results: 100 patients with heart failure were admitted in Cardiology Clinic during 2009-2011, 75 males and 25 females. Diagnosis was established by classical criteria. Evaluation was very complex and included: complete clinical examination, electrocardiogram, echocardiography, chest ray examination and biochemical analyses especially hepatic, renal function and electrolyte status.
Conclusions: The obtained data showed that electrolyte disturbances are frequent in patients with chronic heart failure, irrespectively of NYHA class. Hyperkalaemia, hypokalaemia and hyponatraemia are associated with diuretic therapy and may play a very important role in subsequent development of life-threatening arrhythmias.