Current treatment of heart failure with reduction of left ventricular ejection fraction.
Heart failure is the commonest cause of hospitalization and of rehospitalization This review paper is a comprehensive review of current treatment of heart failure in 2016. The target of this review is all health care professionals who treat patients with heart failure. Areas covered: This article discusses stages of heart failure, treatment of heart failure with general measures, and drug therapy with diuretics, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, aldosterone antagonists, isosorbide dinitrate plus hydralazine, digoxin, other neurohormonal antagonists, sacubitril/valsartan, calcium channel blockers, and ivabradine. This article also discusses treatment of heart failure with use of cardiac resynchronization therapy, implantable cardioverter-defibrillators, and surgical therapy, and management of end-stage heart failure. This paper was written after an extensive Medline search reviewing articles written from 1970 through May, 2016. Expert commentary: Our approach as physicians must emphasize prevention of heart failure as well as treating it. Risk factors for developing heart failure, especially hypertension, must be better controlled starting in childhood. I concur with the current heart failure treatment guidelines (Tables 1 and 2 in this paper).
a Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology , Westchester Medical Center/New York Medical College , Macy Pavilion, Room 141, Valhalla , NY 10595 , USA.
Wilbert S
WS
Aronow
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents / Q000145:classification / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017147:Defibrillators, Implantable; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000187:drug effects*; D018487:Ventricular Dysfunction, Left / Q000188:drug therapy*
D002317:Cardiovascular Agents
Heart failure; aldosterone antagonists; angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors; angotensin receptor blockers; beta blockers; digoxin; hydralazine; nitrates; positive inotropic drugs; sacubitril/valsartan