Comprehensive treatment of heart failure: state-of-the-art medical therapy.

Despite advances in therapy and better outcomes for heart failure, this disease remains burdensome in terms of hospitalization costs, quality of life, and mortality. Many treatment strategies are available for heart failure, including medical therapy with agents such as angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, and b-blockers, and device therapy including implantable cardioverter-defibrillators and cardiac resynchronization. However, data now demonstrate that compliance with these evidence-based strategies is well below acceptable thresholds, negatively affecting quality of care. The implementation of guidelines such as those of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association and the application of dedicated disease management programs are two mechanisms aimed toward helping physicians construct and adhere to effective treatment regimens for their patients with heart failure.