Pharmacotherapeutic strategy in heart failure.

Chronic pharmacotherapy of congestive heart failure deals with its special pathophysiology and acts on different sites of the cardiorenal axis. The standard-therapy consists of diuretics, ACE-inhibitors and beta-blockers and can be supplemented by cardiac glycosides, if heart failure worsens. Cardiac glycosides are also administered if tachycardic arrhythmias occur. Aldosterone-antagonists are combined with standard therapy in NYHA III - IV to counteract cardiac remodelling. AT1-antagonists are indicated when ACE-inhibitors are contraindicated or cannot be administered because of side-effects. Combination with ACE-inhibitors and AT1-antagonists may be of benefit for the patient since morbidity and hospitalization decrease.