title: Heart failure: highlights from new consensus guidelines.
abstract: New guidelines for managing heart failure urge physicians to identify patients likely to benefit from therapy, obtain an echocardiogram to measure the ejection fraction, and, in patients with systolic dysfunction (i.e., an ejection fraction < or = 40%), institute therapy with an angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitor and a beta-blocker if at all possible. Digoxin and diuretics can relieve symptoms but do not affect the mortality rate. Spironolactone in low nondiuretic doses may reduce mortality when added to baseline drug regimens. The proper role of angiotensin II receptor blocking agents has yet to be determined.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Cleveland Clinic, USA.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Young
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004077:Digoxin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004232:Diuretics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D013148:Spironolactone / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013318:Stroke Volume
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists; D000806:Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme Inhibitors; D002316:Cardiotonic Agents; D004232:Diuretics; D000451:Mineralocorticoid Receptor Antagonists; D013148:Spironolactone; D004077:Digoxin