FREQUENCY OF HYPONATREMIA, HYPOKALEMIA AND RENAL DYSFUNCTION IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC HEART FAILURE

Abstract

Objective: To determine the frequency of hypokalemia, hyponatremia and renaldysfunction in patients with chronic heart failure.

Methodology: This was a cross sectional study including patients admitted withheart failure in Department of Cardiology, Lady Reading Hospital, Peshawar. Theduration of the study was eight months from January to September 2014. Samplewas non-probability consecutive sampling. Diagnosis of heart failure was madeon clinical examination and echocardiography. Blood sample were collected fromall admitted patients for serum electrolytes and serum creatinine and results wererecorded on pre-specified study proforma. Data was stored and analyzed viaSPSS version 16.

Results: A total of 264 patients of chronic heart failure were admitted to thehospital. There were 147 (55.68%) females. Male to female ratio was 1:0.80.Mean age of the patients was 52.25±12.55 years with range of 26-73 years.Heart failure was more prevelant in age range of 46-60 years. Hypokalemia inchronic heart failure was observed in 65(24.6%), hyponatremia in 75(28.4%)and renal dysfunction was observed in 71(26.9%) of heart failure patients.Hypokalemia was present in 30.8%, hyponatremia in 37.2% and renaldysfunction in 24.4% of patients with 60 years of age. Gender wise distribution ofhypokalemia, hyponatremia and renal dysfunction showed no association.

Conclusion: Hypokalemia, hyponatremia and renal dysfunction weredocumented in a high number of patients with chronic heart failure associatedwith increased mortality.