A rational approach to assess volume status in patients with decompensated heart failure.

Although the past few decades have yielded significant improvements in the management of cardiomyopathy, heart failure remains a leading cause of hospitalization as well as readmissions, both in the United States and worldwide. Accurate assessment of volume status in these patients is of great importance because it guides initial therapies and aids in determining suitability for discharge. However, this assessment can prove to be challenging and, therefore, must be based on multiple data points and techniques. This review examines the various modalities of volume assessment in the patient with decompensated heart failure.