Clinical implications of organ congestion in heart failure patients as assessed by ultrasonography

Abstract

In the management of heart failure (HF), decongestion is critical for improving clinical outcomes in addition to patients’ symptoms. Although physicians accept this theory, there are no established markers for the achievement of optimal decongestion status. Organ congestion, in particular liver and kidney congestion, has recently attracted substantial attention. Ultrasound methods have been introduced for assessing organ congestion, although this is merely a preliminary step. Here, we review the clinical implications of the assessment of organ congestion by ultrasound.