There is sufficient evidence to conclude that ultrafiltration is an effective technology for the management of acutely decompensated heart failure.
UF is the method of choice when patients have become resistant to diuretics or have developed secondary renal failure.
On the basis of several assumptions for which the evidence is insubstantial, it is estimated that the cost of treating 50 diuretic resistant cases by UF instead of standard care, might have a net budget impact of $20,000 per year. [Note however, that this estimate is uncertain. The annual budget impact might be as great as $107,000, or there might be a savings of up to $76,000.]
There is limited evidence that ultrafiltration may have long-term health benefits including improved exercise performance for up to three, and possibly six months, and that these effects are associated with a reduction in rehospitalization rates.