CARDIAC OUTPUT, BLOOD AND INTERSTITIAL FLUID VOLUMES, TOTAL CIRCULATING SERUM PROTEIN, AND KIDNEY FUNCTION DURING CARDIAC FAILURE AND AFTER IMPROVEMENT 1

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Abstract
Cardiac output, blood volume, interstitial fluid volume, plasma proteins, etc., and inulin, urea, and phenol red clearances were detd. on 7 patients with congestive heart failure, and again when maximal compensation was secured by rest, digitalis, and other therapy. Cardiac output detd. by a modification of Bazett''s method increased 13-85% in 6 patients; in the 7th there was a decrease of 23% at a time when he was showing evidence of digitalis intoxication. Venous pressure, blood vol. (Evans Blue Method) and extracellular fluid (thiocyanate method) value decreased in all cases. The change in the last of these approximated the loss of body wt. While the conc. of serum proteins rose, the total serum protein in circulation fell by 9-48 gs. in 6 patients; loss of serum albumin accounted for approx. 2/3 of the total. Phenol red clearance varied with cardiac output as did inulin, with one exception. The fraction of the cardiac output represented by the inulin clearance was quite constant. Urea clearances were more variable.