OBJECTIVETo observe the effect and safety of supplying sodium chloride in the treatment of patients with severe heart failure.

METHODSConsecutive 51 hospitalized patients with severe heart failure and cardiac edema were included in this study. Normal diet (6 g NaCl/d) was supplied to all patients. On the basis of controlling fluid intake and treating related etiological factors as well as standard medications including furosemide for severe heart failure, patients with mild hyponatremia (serum sodium level 130 - 134 mmol/L) ate additional salted vegetables, patients with moderate hyponatremia (serum sodium level 125 - 129 mmol/L) and severe hyponatremia (serum sodium level < 125 mmol/L) ate additional salted vegetables and were received additionally intravenous 3%NaCl hypertonic saline infusion (10 ml/h) until reaching normal serum sodium level.

RESULTSOn admission, 37.25% (19/51) patients had hyponatremia. During the first two weeks hospitalization period, 88.24% (45/51) patients were treated with intravenous diuretics and total incidence of hyponatremia was 64.71% (33/51), mild hyponatremia was 50.98% (26/51), middle and severe hyponatremia was 13.73% (7/51); among them, hyponatremia lasted less than 3 d in 57.58% (19/33) patients and ≥ 3 d in 42.42% (14/33) patients. Heart failure exacerbation and hypernatremia were not observed in patients receiving additional sodium chloride therapy. Hospitalization time was similar among patients with different blood natrium levels [average (16 ± 12) d]. Fifty out of 51 (98%) patients discharged from the hospital with improved heart failure symptoms and signs.

CONCLUSIONSupplying additional sodium chloride could rapid correct hyponatremia in heart failure patients with or without intravenous diuretics therapy which might contribute to a favorable prognosis in hospitalized heart failure patients.