American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Vol 2, 5-10, Copyright © 1954 by The American Society for Clinical Nutrition, Inc.

NUTRITIONAL ASPECTS of HEART FAILURE

¹ From Nutrition Project, Philadelphia General Hospital and Temple University School of Medicine

The nutritional status of patients with congestive heart failure becomes increasingly important as cardiac decompensation advances. While it is true that early in the course of decompensated heart disease no nutritional defects may be encountered, in the resistant phases of chronic heart failure serious nutritional alterations occur. These include changes in electrolytes and water balance, hypoproteinemia, and subclinical thiamine deficiency. Factors contributing to thiamine deficiency are anorexia and impaired absorption and utilization of nutrients. The conventional use of mercurial diuretics may constitute an additional factor by increasing thiamine excretion, although it is realized that mercurial diuretics are of basic importance in cardiac therapy. Suggestions are made for supplying a dietary program including an adequate protein intake, restricted in salt, supplemented by oral or parenteral vitamin therapy.