Treatment of Acute Heart Failure with Acetazolamide

The primary treatment for acute heart failure includes the use of intravenous loop diuretics to reduce congestion. Successful decongestion at the time of hospital discharge improves mortality and prevents rehospitalization in these patients. Loop diuretic therapy alone may not be enough for adequate decongestion, especially as diuretic resistance becomes more common. Other therapies include the addition of thiazide diuretics, though increasing evidence might suggest a better alternative to add-on therapy. In this review, we will discuss the new evidence for the use of the diuretic acetazolamide in acute heart failure.