Potassium in the form of additives increases the survival rate of patients with heart failure who take diuretics.

Almost 5.8 million. of Americans live with a diagnosis of heart failure. As doctors explain, while when the heart does not work properly, the body can accumulate excess fluid. Such patients require medications - the so-called loop diuretics. However, they remove from the body not only the excess liquid, but also the necessary minerals, including valuable potassium.

"For patients with heart failure, diuretics are a common and necessary part of the treatment regimen. Unfortunately, they have a common side effect of potassium depletion, which can lead to dangerous cardiac arrhythmias, "says Deputy Director of Cardiology at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York, Dr. Tara Narula.

According to the authors of a new study from the University of Pennsylvania, in this group of patients it is advisable to take potassium supplements.

They analyzed data about 360 000 patients with heart failure who started taking diuretics between 1999 and 2007. Half of them also took potassium supplements - and their risk of death was 16% lower than in patients who took furosemide without additional consumption of this mineral.

Scientists are sure that these results underscore the need for adding potassium supplements to the regimen, especially when taking high doses of loop diuretics.

nedug. en.