[Proceedings: Cardiac therapy in chronic respiratory insufficiency]

The cardiac problems of patients with chronic respiratory failure are not confined to cor pulmonale. About one half of these patients also suffer from coronary heart disease with left heart failure, angina pectoris or arrhythmias. The specific difficulties surrounding cardiac therapy in these patients chiefly arise from the administration of digitalis, beta-adrenergic blocking and beta-adrenergic stimulating agents.