Defining the role of peritoneal dialysis in management of congestive heart failure

Introduction: Congestion is an integral component of heart failure (HF) pathophysiology and portends an adverse impact on outcome. Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based therapeutic modality that has been used in the setting of refractory congestive HF to help optimize volume status. Not only does PD allow for customized sodium and water removal, but it also provides the opportunity for the patients to fully benefit from guideline-directed medical therapy for HF that could have otherwise been challenging to use. Areas covered: Authors provide an overview of the pathophysiologic basis for the use of PD in HF, followed by a review of the findings of the main clinical trials such as the salutary impact on HF re-admissions and quality of life. Since the goals of therapy in this setting differ from those for patients with end-stage renal disease, pertinent practical considerations in the use of this modality are then discussed as well as potential barriers. Expert opinion: For patients with chronic refractory HF, PD represents an alternative to medical therapy alone. Identification of patients that would benefit most from this modality and detection of major enablers and obstacles for the implementation of this therapy should be the focus of future studies.