[Electrical therapies for heart failure].

Electrical therapies for heart failure. Electrical therapies have to be considered in the treatment of heart failure patients with reduced left ventricular function. Intracardiac cardioverter defibrillators are in indicated in secondary prevention after the occurrence of ventricular arrhythmias and in primary prevention to prevent sudden cardiac death related to ventricular arrhythmias. Cardiac resynchronization therapy in heart failure patients with ventricular conduction disturbances, especially left bundle branch block, improves symptoms, functional capacities and survival and significantly reduces heart failure hospitalizations. These two electrical therapies have to be considered only after optimization of the pharmacological treatment which remains the first line therapy.