[Characteristics of sodium and water elimination in chronic cardiac insufficiency]

The peculiarities of water and electrolytes elimination prior to and following therapy with diuretics were studied in 92 patients with Stage II-III cardiac insufficiency. The control group was comprised of 23 patients with Stage 0-I insufficiency and 12 normal volunteers. A progressing cardiac insufficiency was found to be accompanied by a reduction in sodium and water excretion. The results of the study permit to suggest the localization of enhanced reabsorption of sodium in cases of cardiac insufficiency, to evaluate the proportion of the participation of the antidiuretic hormone and aldosterone in the pathogenesis of sodium retention in the kidney, and to assess the diuretics as means of pathogenetic treatment of cardiac insufficiency, which proves rational on early stages of the disease without accompanying severe circulatory disorders.