[Cardiac rehabilitation and non-medical treatment of chronic heart failure (without devices)].

Cardiac rehabilitation and non-medical treatment of chronic heart failure (without devices) Abstract. In the last decades, treatment of chronic heart failure has experienced important improvements, not only regarding medical and device therapy, but also concerning non-medical management. A multidisciplinary approach addressing self-management of medical therapy, improvement of cardiovascular risk factors, and optimization of lifestyle has gained a lot of attention. Its implementation is recognised as a class I, evidence A indication in the most recent European guidelines. Unfortunately, due to different reasons, referral of patients to structured cardiac rehabilitation programmes is still insufficient, although exercise training has been shown to improve exercise capacity and quality of life, to reduce rehospitalisation rates and potentially to improve prognosis. Further efforts to promote the non-medical treatment of heart failure patients are therefore needed.