Review: therapeutic concepts of congestive heart failure.

The therapeutic concepts of congestive heart failure (CHF) are based on an increase in myocardial contractility and a decrease in pre- and afterload. Besides the digitalis glycosides, diuretics and vasodilators such as nitrates, hydralazine, ACE-inhibitors, calcium antagonists or prazosine are used. Furthermore, the so-called inodilators such as phosphodiesterase III inhibitors (amrinone, milrinone), dopaminergic and beta-adrenergic receptor agonists were introduced into therapy. The boone and bane of the different classes of drugs were discussed with respect to their hemodynamic and clinical properties.