Abstract
Chronic heart failure is serious and often common heart disease. The most studied form is that with reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, in which there are also the largest treatment options.
Diagnosis of heart failure is based on medical history, physical examination, echocardiography and laboratory investigation of natriuretic peptide levels. The care of patients with heart failure relies on cooperation of a general practitioner, an internist and especially a cardiologist - both general outpatient and specialized cardiologist in heart failure outpatient clinics.
Therapy of heart failure includes regime measures and pharmacologic as well as non-pharmacologic treatment. The cornerstone of pharmacotherapy is the use of a suitable β-blocker and an angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitor or an angiotensin receptor blocker.
These are combined with other drugs including diuretics. Prognosis of heart failure patients has recently improved with the introduction of sacubitril/valsartan.