Heart transplantation in patients with diuretic resistant heart failure

Advanced heart failure is becoming an increasing cause of mortality and mor bidity in a large number of patients. Heart transplantation is the treatmen t of choice for many selected patients in this group. According to the clin ical status at the time of transplant, patients may have a different outcom e related to the early survival, while the late results are similar and not affected by the patient's initial clinical status. All surviving patients showed recovery of kidney function as soon the cardiac output was restored to normal values. High urine output was present in a large number of patien ts in the early post-operative period. However, in severely ill patients wi th cardiac index <2.51/min/m(2), diuretic resistance and mortality were hig her.