To clarify the association between proteinuria and congestive heart failure (CHF), 24-hour urinary protein determinations were obtained from 27 patients with objectively documented CHF, before and after therapy of the CHF. The results demonstrate that modest proteinuria is a frequent feature of CHF and that this proteinuria reverses promptly with successful CHF therapy. Proteinuria exceeding 500 mg/day occurred only in patients with acute pulmonary edema. However, there was no other correlation between severity of proteinuria and type or chronicity of CHF. When proteinuria exceeds 1 g/24 h or when proteinuria does not reverse within 2 weeks of successful CHF therapy, intrinsic renal disease should be suspected.