[Peripheral circulatory and metabolic changes in cardiac insufficiency. Therapeutic implications]

Many peripheral changes are observed in heart failure concerning regional blood flow, vasomotor tone and oxygen uptake by skeletal muscle. They contribute to the alteration of exercise capacity and have to be taken into consideration in adapting therapy. A regression of these peripheral abnormalities is often observed after prolonged treatment which implies evaluation of efficacy on effort tolerance after a sufficiently long period of administration.