Low-salt diet and hyponatremia in chronic congestive heart failure

Objective To investigate the causes,prognosis and treatments of chronic congestive heart failure(CHF) with hyponatremia.Methods 120 patients with chronic CHF atⅢ～Ⅳheart function levels were randomly divided into study group and control group with 60 cases in each. The study group received standard heart failure therapy along with low-salt diet while the control group received standard heart failure therapy along with normal diet.All cases were observed for 3 months.Results In the study group,32 cases had mild hyponatremia,8 cases had severe hyponatremia,and 2 cases died of severe hyponatremia with alkalosis and deterioration of heart function.In the control group,2 cases suffered from mild hyponatremia but no cases had sever hyponatremia and died.Conclusion For CHF atⅢ～Ⅳheart function levels,long-term or intermittent diuretic administration accompanied by proper sodium salt supply or loosening the restriction of sodium salt intake may effectively prevent hyponatremia and its complications.For the patients with hyponatremia,oral administration of sodium salt is safe and effective.