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Cardiorenal Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes

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Abstract

The pathophysiologic interactions that link the heart and kidney are multiple and complex, and have been grouped under the umbrella term “cardiorenal syndrome.” In the setting of acute decompensated heart failure, worsening renal function has been directly associated with poor clinical prognosis and complicates treatment. However, the pathophysiology underlying acute cardiorenal syndrome remains incompletely understood and treatment options remain limited. Traditionally, the development of worsening renal function in acute decompensated heart failure has been attributed to renal arterial underfilling due to reduced cardiac output or intravascular volume depletion. However, increasing data have expanded our understanding of the roles that venous congestion and intra-abdominal pressure play in driving renal injury, with important implications for therapeutic management and the development of novel renal-sparing therapies.

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Disclosures

Dr. Wilson W. H. Tang has served as a consultant for Merck and Co. and Medtronic, Inc. (as a member of steering committees for clinical trials), has received grants from Abbott Laboratories pertaining to clinical studies, and has received honoraria from Medtronic, Inc. for chairing a meeting. No further potential conflicts of interest related to this article were reported.

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  1. Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Vascular Institute, Cleveland Clinic, 9500 Euclid Avenue, Desk J3-4, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA

    Kevin Shrestha & W. H. Wilson Tang

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  1. Kevin Shrestha
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Correspondence to W. H. Wilson Tang.

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Shrestha, K., Tang, W.H.W. Cardiorenal Syndrome: Diagnosis, Treatment, and Clinical Outcomes. Curr Heart Fail Rep 7, 167–174 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11897-010-0025-5

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