NKCC1

Heart failure (HF) is a multisystemic disorder characterized by marked disturbances in the physiology of the circulatory system and a multitude of structural and functional changes in the myocardium that adversely affect the systolic function and diastolic filling of the heart. Heart failure is not a single pathologic diagnosis, but a clinical syndrome consisting of cardiac symptoms (eg, dyspnea, edema of the lower extremities, and fatigue) that may be accompanied by signs (eg, increased jugular venous pressure and peripheral edema).The diagnosis of CKD becomes more likely in patients with a history of myocardial infarction (MI), arterial hypertension, coronary artery disease (CHD), diabetes mellitus, alcohol abuse, chronic kidney disease (CKD), cardiotoxic chemotherapy, and in patients with a family history of cardiomyopathy or of sudden death. The diagnosis of HF requires the presence of HF symptoms and/or signs and objective evidence of cardiac dysfunction.
The main symptoms of HF are symptoms such as shortness of breath at rest or during exercise, difficulty breathing (dyspnea), rapid breathing (tachypnea), difficulty breathing when bending over (bendopnea), orthopnea, paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea, fatigue , weight gain or weight loss, swelling (of the extremities, scrotum or elsewhere), wheezing, palpitations, syncope, history of Cheyne Stokes breathing during sleep (often reported by the family rather than the patient), cough, drowsiness.
The simplest terminology used to describe HF severity is the New York Heart Association (NYHA) functional classification based on symptom severity and physical activity.
In Greece, it is estimated that the number of patients suffering from HF is 200,000.
In the vast majority of cases, transthoracic echocardiography is the initial cardiac imaging test used to evaluate patients with newly diagnosed or suspected heart failure. Echocardiography is particularly suitable for the evaluation of myocardial structure and function, valvular function and hemodynamic parameters .

This research study is being done to compare the effectiveness two drugs: an extended release torsemide (ERT) versus generic immediate release Torsemide (IRT) in reducing the worsening of symptoms of Overactive Bladder (OAB i.e., frequency, urgency, or urgency incontinence) in patients with chronic congestive heart failure (CHF).
This study will include CHF patients who experience worsening OAB) symptoms with use of a loop diuretic. The total duration of the study is about eight weeks with a total of nine visits.
There will be a screening visit that lasts one to two hours. The screening visit includes history and physical exams, blood draws, and urine analysis. If eligible for the study, participants will receive either generic torsemide or extended release torsemide for the first four weeks. Participants will do a virtual research visit on week one, two and three to submit a symptom diary and answer a questionnaire about urinary symptoms. At four weeks, history and physician exam will be done and blood will be collected. Participants will be assigned to receive either extended release torsemide (if they initially received generic torsemide) and generic torsemide (if they initially received extended release torsemide) for the next four weeks. Participants will attend virtual research visits on week five, six and seven to submit a symptom diary and answer a questionnaire about urinary symptoms. At the end of the study in week eight, they will have history and physical exams and blood draws.
Some risks from the study may include side effects of torsemide like acute kidney injury, fluid/electrolyte loss, hypersensitivity reactions and reversible hearing loss/tinnitus.

The goal of this randomized double-blind crossover study is to assess whether a morning dose of the extended release torsemide has a better efficacy than the ordinary immediate release torsemide to induce renal sodium excretion after a salty lunch in patients with stable heart failure. The main questions it aims to answer are:
Are the amounts of excreted sodium in the urine during the 2- and 6-hours' time period after a morning dose of extended release torsemide different from the amounts after the immediate release torsemide.
Are the amounts of excreted sodium in the urine during the 2- and 6-hours' time period after a salty lunch, which will be consumed approximately 6 hours following a morning dose of extended release torsemide, different from the amounts after the immediate release torsemide.
Is the amount of excreted sodium in the urine during the 24 hours' time period after a salty lunch, which will be consumed approximately 6 hours following a morning dose of extended release torsemide, different from the amount after the immediate release torsemide.
Participants will be asked to:
Start taking daily immediate release or extended release torsemide tablets that is provided to them.
Eat the meals with standard contents of sodium that is provided to them and avoid other meals, drinks (except for water) and snacks for the duration of the study.
Collect urine for 24 hours, after approximately one week of the initiation of the study medication.
Go to the clinical research center the day that the 24-hour urine collection is finished and stay there throughout the day to receive standard meals and to have blood and urine samples collected.
Switch torsemide pills to the new one that will be dispensed to them at the clinical research center. If they were taking the immediate release torsemide during the first part, then they will be given the sustained release torsemide and vice versa. The study is double blind; therefore, the subjects, study coordinators, and investigators are unaware of whether each subject is on immediate release torsemide first or on extended release torsemide first.
Collect urine for an additional 12 hours after leaving the clinical research center to be sent to the clinical research center the next morning.
Continue to take the provided meals and to avoid other meals, drinks (except for water) and snacks.
Again, collect urine for 24 hours, after approximately one week, take that to the clinical research center when the 24-hour collection is completed and stay there throughout the day to receive standard meals and to have blood and urine samples collected.
Collect urine for an additional 12 hours to be sent to the clinical research center the next morning.
Researchers will compare the amount of sodium excretion when each subject is taking immediate release torsemide versus the time that the same subject is taking extended release torsemide.