Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is effective for patients with severe congestive heart failure.

Although the use of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) to treat refractory heart failure is not new, in combination with current medical treatment it improves patients'symptoms as well as their cardiac function. We started 16 patients (13 men with a mean age of 66.3 +/- 2.8 years, and 3 women with a mean age of 72 +/- 4.2 years) on CAPD. All patients were symptomatic with congestive heart failure. Mean left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) before the start of CAPD was 31% +/- 3%. Introduction to CAPD was associated with a significant improvement in LVEF (to 44% +/- 6%, p < 0.05) and in blood pressure control at 1 year. Also at 1 year, 87% of patients were classified as New York Heart Association grade I or II (maximum possible grade is grade III). These results suggest that CAPD is a treatment of choice for patients suffering from a combination of congestive heart failure and chronic renal insufficiency.