Shenqi Pills, first recorded in Essentials from the Golden Cabinet(Jin Kui Yao Lue) from ZHANG Zhong-jing in Han dynasty, have the effect of warming and tonifying the kidney Qi and are mainly used for the treatment of insufficiency of kidney Qi and kidney Yang. According to modern medicine, kidney Qi involves heart function, kidney function, immune function, and so on. The clinical indications of Shenqi Pills include kidney deficiency, abnormal fluid, and abnormal urination, and the last one is classified into little urine, much urine, and dysuria. In clinical settings, Shenqi Pills can be applied for the treatment of heart failure, renal failure, cardiorenal syndrome, and diuretic resistance, as well as endocrine, urological, orthopedic, and other chronic degenerative diseases. Shenqi Pills are ideal prescriptions for the weak constitution and emergency treatment. It is of great value and significance to carry out in-depth research on the connotation of the classic articles by integrating TCM and western medicine based on "pathogenesis combined with pathology and drug properties combined with pharmacology".
Humans ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Diuretics/therapeutic use* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/therapeutic use* ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Critical Care

Zhenwu Decoction is recorded in Treatise on Febrile Diseases by an outstanding physician ZHANG Zhong-jing in the Han dynasty. With effect of warming yang, transforming Qi, and promoting urination, Zhenwu Decoction is mainly used to treat edema due to yang deficiency. The studies of the severe and critical cases and the pathophysiological mechanisms have demonstrated that the record of Zhenwu Decoction in Treatise on Febrile Diseases describes the clinical symptoms and therapeutic regimen of acute heart failure. The syndrome treated by this formula may be related to the misdiagnosis and wrong treatment. Due to the difficult distinguishing between cardiogenic dyspnea and pulmonary dyspnea, high doses of Ephedrae Herba may be misused for inducing sweating, which may finally lead to the acute aggravation of heart failure, electrolyte disorder, and pulmonary infection. The syndrome treated by Zhenwu Decoction can illustrate the lack of experience of ancient physicians in treating acute heart failure. The description of "trembling and shivering" may be the clinical manifestation of heart failure, which is an upgraded version of "trembling and shaking" treated by Linggui Zhugan Decoction.(1)In terms of diseases, Zhenwu Decoction is suitable for the treatment of acute or chronic heart failure, cardiorenal syndrome, and diuretic resistance. The decoction is especially suitable for treating whole heart failure, acute heart failure, heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, and heart failure with the syndrome of sold and dampness. In addition, it can be used to treat both type Ⅱ and type Ⅳ cardiorenal syndrome.(2)In terms of symptoms, Zhenwu Decoction can be used for treating chest tightness, palpitations, lower limb edema, difficult urination or increased urine output, fear of cold, pale fat tongue with teeth marks, white and slippery tongue fur, and deep or slow pulse.(3)In terms of the pharmacological mechanism, Zhenwu Decoction treats heart failure following the principle of promoting urination, expanding blood vessels, and invigorating heart in modern medicine. Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praparata is the sovereign herb in the formula, with the recommended dosage of 30-60 g. However, arrhythmia may be caused by high doses of Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praparata, which should be used with concern. In addition to Zhenwu Decoction, Shenqi Pills, Renshen Decoction, Wuling Powder, and Fangji Huangqi Decoction with the effect of invigorating spleen, replenishing Qi, warming Yang, and promoting urination can be used in the recovery stage. The therapy of reinforcing Yang was the last choice for critical cases due to the lack of medical conditions, unclear clinical diagnosis in history, which should be treated objectively now.
Humans ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome/drug therapy* ; Drugs, Chinese Herbal/pharmacology* ; Medicine, Chinese Traditional ; Heart Failure/drug therapy* ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac/drug therapy* ; Critical Care

No abstract available.
Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Hepcidins

To maintain homeostasis of the cardiovascular system, the heart and kidney act bidirectionally. Therefore, acute or chronic dysfunction of one organ can cause dysfunction in the other. This phenomenon is characterized as cardiorenal syndrome (CRS). Concurrent dysfunction of the heart and kidney adversely affects one another and eventually worsens patient outcomes through a vicious cycle. Although a CRS classification system has been proposed, the underlying pathophysiology is multifactorial and clinical access continues to be difficult. Although several therapies, including agents that target the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, have been utilized, there is not enough evidence to demonstrate their effectiveness for CRS. Thus, more effort should be made to optimize the diagnosis and treatment strategies for CRS patients. This review will introduce CRS as it is currently understood, discuss the pathophysiology, and examine management strategies.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Cardiovascular System ; Classification ; Diagnosis ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Homeostasis ; Humans ; Kidney ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Renin-Angiotensin System

Objective: To explore the relationship between lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)] and chronic cardio-renal syndrome (CRS) in elderly patients. Methods: Chronic heart failure (CHF) patients age ≥ 65 years old, who hospitalized in the department of Cardiology of Hebei General Hospital from December 2017 to October 2019, were included in this study. According to the estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) level, patients were divided into CRS group (eGFR<60 ml·min^-1·1.73 m^-2) and CHF group (eGFR ≥60 ml·min^-1·1.73 m^-2). The blood index and basic disease information were collected and compared. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) were measured by echocardiography. The correlation between clinical indicators and cardio-renal function (LVEF and eGFR) was assessed. The multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the related risk factors of CRS in elderly patients; subgroup logistic regression analysis was performed according to the basic disease of patients to assess the relationship between Lp(a) and CRS. Results: A total of 172 elderly patients (85 males (49.4%), aged 79 (71, 84) years) were finally enrolled. Among them, 88 cases (51.2%) were in CRS group and 84 cases (48.8%) were in CHF group. Age (80 (74, 84) years old vs. 74 (70, 82) years old) and LP (a) levels (222.0 (112.0, 445.3) mg/L vs. 155.0 (97.0, 348.7) mg/L) were significantly higher in the CRS group than in the CHF group (P<0.05). Lp(a) levels were negatively correlated with LVEF (r=-0.155, P=0.043) and eGFR (r=-0.220, P=0.004) in total cohort. In the subgroup analysis of patients with 2 high-incidence basic diseases (coronary heart disease and hypertension), Lp(a) was negatively correlated with LVEF (r=-0.250, P=0.007) in the coronary heart disease group, and negatively correlated with eGFR (r=-0.233, P=0.013) in the hypertension group. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that age (OR = 1.069, 95%CI: 1.017-1.124, P= 0.009) and Lp(a) (OR = 3.719, 95%CI: 1.339-10.326, P = 0.012) were independent correlates of CRS. The results of logistic regression analysis showed that Lp(a) was an independent correlative factor of CRS in the subgroups of coronary heart disease (OR=3.207, 95%CI: 1.129-9.108, P=0.029) and hypertension (OR=3.054, 95%CI: 1.086-8.587, P=0.034). Conclusion: Serum Lp(a) level is independently related with CRS in elderly patients.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Lipoprotein(a) ; Male ; Prognosis ; Stroke Volume ; Ventricular Function, Left

Although combined cardiac and renal dysfunction is common in hospitalized patients and portends a poor prognosis, lack of understanding of the pathogenesis and classification of the condition has hampered the development of therapeutic strategies. Interactions between the heart and kidney involve multiple hemodynamic and nonhemodynamic factors and are usually bidirectional, as acute or chronic dysfunction of the cardiac or renal systems can negatively affect one another. This review introduces a new definition and classification system of cardiorenal syndrome advocated by a consensus conference of the Acute Dialysis Quality Initiative and summarizes the current understanding of cardiorenal syndrome.
Acute Kidney Injury ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome* ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Classification ; Consensus ; Dialysis ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Hemodynamics ; Humans ; Kidney ; Prognosis ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic

Nitric oxide (NO) is synthesized by a family of NO synthases (NOS), including neuronal, inducible, and endothelial NOS (n/i/eNOS). NO-mediated effects can be beneficial or harmful depending on the specific risk factors affecting the disease. In hypertension, the vascular relaxation response to acetylcholine is blunted, and that to direct NO donors is maintained. A reduction in the activity of eNOS is mainly responsible for the elevation of blood pressure, and an abnormal expression of iNOS is likely to be related to the progression of vascular dysfunction. While eNOS/nNOS-derived NO is protective against the development of atherosclerosis, iNOS-derived NO may be proatherogenic. eNOS-derived NO may prevent the progression of myocardial infarction. Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion injury is significantly enhanced in eNOS-deficient animals. An important component of heart failure is the loss of coronary vascular eNOS activity. A pressure-overload may cause severer left ventricular hypertrophy and dysfunction in eNOS null mice than in wild-type mice. iNOS-derived NO has detrimental effects on the myocardium. NO plays an important role in regulating the angiogenesis and slowing the interstitial fibrosis of the obstructed kidney. In unilateral ureteral obstruction, the expression of eNOS was decreased in the affected kidney. In triply n/i/eNOS null mice, nephrogenic diabetes insipidus developed along with reduced aquaporin-2 abundance. In chronic kidney disease model of subtotal-nephrectomized rats, treatment with NOS inhibitors decreased systemic NO production and induced left ventricular systolic dysfunction (renocardiac syndrome).
Acetylcholine ; Animals ; Aquaporin 2 ; Atherosclerosis ; Blood Pressure ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Diabetes Insipidus, Nephrogenic ; Fibrosis ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Hypertension ; Hypertrophy, Left Ventricular ; Kidney ; Mice ; Myocardial Infarction ; Myocardium ; Neurons ; Nitric Oxide ; Rats ; Relaxation ; Renal Insufficiency, Chronic ; Risk Factors ; Tissue Donors ; Ureteral Obstruction

OBJECTIVETo review the current knowledge about the pathophysiological mechanisms, preclinical models, novel contributors and potential therapies of cardiorenal syndrome.

DATA SOURCESThe literature concerning cardiorenal syndrome in this review was collected from PubMed published in English up to January 2014.

STUDY SELECTIONOriginal articles and critical reviews related to cardiorenal syndrome were selected and carefully analyzed.

RESULTSCardiorenal syndrome is a condition characterized by kidney and heart failure where failure of one organ worsens the function of the other thus further accelerating the progressive failure of both organs. The pathophysiology of cardiorenal syndrome is not fully understood, but may be caused by a complex combination of neurohormonal system activation, endothelial dysfunction, proteinuria, oxidative stress, uremic toxins and other factors. Managing cardiorenal syndrome is still a major therapeutic challenge in clinical practice because many of the drugs used to control heart failure can worsen renal function, and vice versa. Non-dialyzable uremic toxins, such as indoxyl sulfate, causing detrimental effects on the heart and kidney as well as stimulation of inflammatory responses, may be an effective therapeutic target for cardiorenal syndrome.

CONCLUSIONSSuitable disease models of cardiorenal syndrome are urgently needed to investigate the pathophysiology and effective therapeutic approaches to the condition. Non-dialyzable protein-bound uremic toxins that may have cardiac and renal effects may provide therapeutic benefit to cardiorenal syndrome patients.

Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; physiopathology ; therapy ; Humans

Cardio-renal syndromes are disorders of the heart and kidney wherein acute or long-term dysfunction in one organ may induce acute or long-term dysfunction of the other. Because of this complex organ interaction, management of cardiorenal syndrome must be tailored to the underlying pathophysiology. Clinical guidelines exist for the treatment of heart failure or renal failure as separate conditions. Thus far, however, there has been no consensus about managing patients with cardio-renal and reno-cardiac syndromes. Pharmacologic treatment remains a controversial subject. Standard cardiac drugs such as diuretics and inotropes may have limited effect because resistance often develops after long-term use. Recent studies of patients with acute cardio-renal syndromes have focused on newer therapies, including phosphodiesterase inhibitors, vasopressin antagonists, adenosine A1 receptor antagonists, and renal protective dopamine. Initial clinical trials of these agents have shown encouraging results in some patients with heart failure, but have failed to demonstrate a clear superiority over more conventional treatments. Similarly, the benefits of diuretics, aspirin, erythropoietin agents, and iron supplements for management of chronic cardiorenal syndromes are unknown.
Adenosine A1 Receptor Antagonists ; Aspirin ; Cardio-Renal Syndrome ; Consensus ; Diuretics ; Dopamine ; Erythropoietin ; Heart ; Heart Failure ; Humans ; Iron ; Kidney ; Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors ; Renal Insufficiency ; Vasopressins