Perioperative fluid balance in patients with heart failure

Careful assessment of fluid balance is required in the perioperative period since appropriate fluid therapy is essential for successful patient outcomes. Volume status is frequently assessed by different hemodynamic variables that could be targeted as endpoints for fluid therapy and resuscitation. Goal directed fluid therapy is a method for correction of fluid status in individual patients that includes invasive hemodynamic monitoring and aggressive perioperative correction of hemodynamics. Heart failure is a syndrome of ventricular dysfunction. It is associated with a variety of patophysiological disturbances, hydro-electrolyte balance disorders and compensatory mechanisms. Heart failure indicates careful assessment of fluid balance in perioperative period. The aim of this article is to describe actual techniques of hemodynamic measurements as well as main principles of fluid therapy to maintain hydro-electrolyte balance in patients with heart failure.