Immediate hemodynamic response to furosemide in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis

To evaluate the effect of furosemide on cardiovascular hemodynamics in patients with end-stage renal failure, we studied ten patients undergoing hemodialysis three times a week. Arterial pressure, heart rate, and cardiac output (indocyanine green dye) were measured in triplicate; total peripheral resistance and central blood volume were calculated by standard formulas. Hemodynamics were determined at baseline and 5, 10, 15, and 30 minutes after intravenous (IV) bolus injection of furosemide 60 mg. Furosemide produced a decrease in central blood volume of -13% +/- 2.2% from pretreatment values (P less than .01) that was most pronounced five minutes after injection, together with a fall in cardiac output (from 6.76 +/- 0.59 to 6.17 +/- 0.52 L/min, P less than .10). Stroke volume decreased with a maximum fall occurring after 15 minutes (from 84 +/- 7 to 79 +/- 7 mL/min, P less than .05), and total peripheral resistance increased (from 15.8 +/- 2.1 to 17.8 +/- 2.3 units, P less than .05) after furosemide. Arterial pressure and heart rate did not change. The decrease in central blood volume reflects a shift of the total blood volume from the cardiopulmonary circulation to the periphery, suggesting dilation of the peripheral venous bed. Thus, even in patients undergoing hemodialysis, furosemide acutely decreases left ventricular preload by venous dilation and should therefore prove to be beneficial in acute volume overload.