[The role of vasodilators in the treatment of congestive heart failure and myocardial ischaemia (author's transl)].

The introduction fo vasodilators has greatly expanded the therapeutic armamentarium for the management of severe heart failure. Although such agents have been employed for many years to treat hypertension and myocardial ischaemia, only recently has their use become widely popular in the therapy of pump failure. Since there is a large spectrum of therapeutically effective vasodilators, a rational selection of vasodilator, inotropic or combined therapy has to consider the pathophysiology of the underlying heart disease, the haemodynamic effects of the drugs and the possible hazards associated with their use. On this basis we discuss the intraoperative use of vasodilator and combined therapy in cardiac surgical patients with acutely disturbed pump performance due to various types of heart disease.