Congestive heart failure

Congestive heart failure has become a major issue in health care. The number of patients with clinical heart failure has been steadily rising during the last years in the US as well as in Europe. Mainly because more and more patients survive their first and even subsequent myocardial infarctions. Coronary artery disease has replaced arterial hypertension as the leading cause for the development of heart failure.

This chapter offers information on the pathophysiology, diagnosis and treatment of congestive heart failure mainly from coronary artery disease and arterial hypertension.