Cor Vasa 2009, 51(9):590-594 | DOI: 10.33678/cor.2009.144

Is the new definition of cardiorenal syndrome of any value for clinical practice?

Filip Málek

Kardiologické oddělení, Nemocnice Na Homolce, Praha, Česká republika

A combination of cardiovascular injury and kidney disease has been referred to as cardiorenal syndrome in the relevant literature in recent years. In terms of its pathophysiology, cardiorenal syndrome is defined as impaired cardiac and renal function whereby acute or chronic dysfunction of one of these organs may result in acute or chronic injury to the other. In an effort to specify the complex association between impaired cardiac and renal function, a new definition was put forth by Prof. Ronco classifying the syndrome into five categories. This classification divides cardiorenal or renocardiac injury into acute and chronic injury, with secondary cardiorenal syndrome as a separate entity. The individual types of cardiorenal syndrome are described in the classification from a pathophysiological perspective while failing to divide the categories of cardiac and renal injury in terms of its etiology. The definition is inadequate for clinical cardiology and not likely to become part of standard terminology.

Keywords: Cardiac function; Renal function; Heart failure; Chronic kidney disease

Published: September 1, 2009  Show citation