When to increase or reduce sodium loading in the management of fluid volume status during acute decompensated heart failure.

Sodium restriction has been believed to be indispensible to manage fluid overload during acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF). However, recently, it was reported that a change in aggression of sodium and water restriction did not affect the outcome of ADHF. In contrast, current data suggest that small amount of hypertonic saline solution with high-dose furosemide produces an improvement in haemodynamic and clinical parameters without any severe adverse effects. In this perspective, first, we are going to describe the effects of sodium loading on neurohormonal activation, body's sodium balance, and renal function in chronic heart failure and the efficacy of loop diuretics in ADHF. Then, we are going to explain the possible mechanisms by which sodium loading enhances the efficacy of loop diuretics and about the clinical conditions during which sodium loading should be avoided.