Editorial Pulmonary Congestion in Hemodialysis: An Old Chestnut Worth

It is well documented that pulmonary congestion is common among patients undergoing treatment with hemodialysis, and recent evidence suggests a strong association with mortality (1–4). The cyclical, and very predictable, nature of each hemodialysis session carries several major risks that may compromise cardiorespira-tory function and threaten the patient’s well-being (5). Onemajor consequence is the accumulation offluid dur-ing the interdialytic period, which has a propensity to collect in the lungs and lead to progressive pulmonary congestion, particularly among patients with compro-mised left ventricular function (1). Although the patho-genesis of this process is generally well understood and the inevitable consequences are obvious, our ability to effectively diagnose and treat this common conditio