Primary and secondary prevention of coronary artery disease including revascularisation procedures and the rigorous treatment of arterial hypertension are the most important treatment modalities in the majority of patients who are prone to develop heart failure or have already developed clinical cardiac failure.

During the last two decades insights from clinical studies mainly came from patient populations with impaired systolic function of the left ventricle while diagnosis and treatment of diastolic cardiac failure still remains a major challenge.

During the last years in patients with end stage heart failure implantable devices as well as cardiac transplantation have become important options in the treatment of these patients.