Nuwellis CEO Mike McCormick discusses fluid overload, diuretic resistance and why breathing, hospital discharge and time out of the hospital should be considered alongside clinical numbers.
Fluid overload can sound like a simple problem of too much water in the body.
It occurs when the body retains more water and sodium than it can effectively manage. This excess fluid can build up in the legs and abdomen and cause significant congestion, particularly in the lungs.
For some patients, this means struggling to breathe, losing their appetite or being unable to lie flat comfortably.
In this episode of the Xtalks Life Science Podcast, host Dr. Mohammad Ali speaks with Mike McCormick, President and CEO of Nuwellis, about fluid overload, the delicate balance between the heart and kidneys and what happens when standard diuretics stop working.
The topic is personal for Mike. Following a heart procedure, his grandfather developed fluid overload and acute kidney injury, ultimately spending three years on dialysis. Watching that grueling experience drew Mike, a 30-year medical device veteran, toward finding better solutions in cardiorenal care.
When both the heart and kidneys are affected, managing fluid becomes a high-stakes balancing act. If a weakened heart reduces blood flow to the kidneys, the kidneys can respond by retaining water and sodium, further increasing the strain on the heart and worsening congestion.
What do you do when fluid-clearing medications don’t work well enough? Mike explains why this can happen and how ultrafiltration, a mechanical way of removing excess fluid, may be used when diuretics are no longer enough.
Above all, Mike notes, “We always like the numbers. But I think the other thing that’s really, really important is: how did the patient do?”
Did their breathing improve? Were they able to leave the hospital? How long did they stay out of the hospital? Those patient-centered outcomes, he emphasizes, are also critical measures of whether treatment is helping.
Listen to the full episode for more on treatment timing, clinical trial design and why fluid management in critically ill children requires a distinct approach from adult care.
The podcast is available for streaming every other Wednesday on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and wherever you stream your podcasts.
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