[The efficacy of isolated ultrafiltration of the blood in patients with refractory heart failure].

Application of isolated ultrafiltration (IUF) of blood in 70 out of 100 patients with refractory heart failure (HF) made it possible, acting on some mechanisms of water excretion disorders, to attain the compensation for the HF signs. At the same time the correction of the manifestations of secondary hyperaldosteronism, hypoproteinemia, hyperbilirubinemia, and azotemia was attained only thanks to the presence of the functional reserves of the liver and kidneys. In 35 patients with cachectic HF, IUF failure was determined by marked cardial liver cirrhosis together with depletion of the functional reserves of the cardiovascular system. The lack of sufficient diuresis, hyponatremia, hypoproteinemia, and hyperbilirubinemia may be unfavourable prognostic signs despite the reduction of HF intensity consequent on IUF.