Vasodilator Therapies in the Treatment of Acute Heart Failure.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Vasodilators are commonly recommended to treat acute heart failure (AHF), yet they are infrequently used. This review aims to evaluate the clinical utility of traditional, historical, and novel vasodilators in the treatment of AHF.

RECENT FINDINGS: No traditional vasodilator (i.e., nitroglycerin) therapy definitely improves short- or long-term outcomes. Despite repeated efforts to develop new pharmacologic treatments, no novel therapy outperforms traditional management. At the present time, we continue to recommend traditional vasodilators, such as nitroglycerin. The use of select vasodilators in the treatment of AHF improves hemodynamics and provides short-term relief; however, data regarding long-term benefits is lacking.