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My husband had congestive heart failure since 1992, he was 71 years old. His doctor prescribed intravenous injections of Natrecor once a week starting around the middle of July 2004.By the second week of August 2004, he seemed to be confused at times and his words seemed to be garbled at times. we wondered why this was happening. At the time he was prescribed this drug, my husband did not feel like he was dying.It surprised both of us when the nurse who was adminstering the drug memtioned "end stage". I know now that the confusion and garbled words meant the beginning of <br>kidney failure. The last treatment he received they could not get a <br>temperture reading nor BP reading. The machines would "erro" out.I took him to our family doctor the next day. That nite I had to take him to <br>the emergency room because his kidneys had failed his heart beat was few and far between and . He was very very weak. That was Monday nite, September 13, 2004. Wednesday September 15, 2004 at 10:08 AM, he was pronouced dead. I asked the Hospital Physician if Natrecor may have caused his death. He said,"no". I, at this time think he was dead wrong.

My husband has battled CHF since 1991, in and out of hospital over the years for fluid buildup. But last year he was given natracor for many days with no positive results and eventually his creatinin got so high the cardiologist was afraid to continue any diuretics for the fluid. Referral to a kidney specialist revealed chronic kidney failure, a GFR of 23. He's just gone down continuously since then, getting weaker and holding more fluid. I blame the natrecor for damaging his kidneys. We have hospice care now and as I write this my husband lay dying in a hospital bed beside me.