[The treatment of acute heart failure]

Acute cardiac failure is a symptom of a defined heart disease. Therapeutic efforts will only be successful, if the casual disease can be recognized. The clinical picture of cardiac failure is composed of a lot of pathophysiological and pathobiochemical developments. Some of them are still today completely or partly unknown. Each pharmacological intervention influences these regulations and reacts in every situation not only in the desirable but also in an unexpected way. Since we do not know the speed and direction of the developing cardiac failure, patients in NYHA II-III have to be sent to hospital. Starting the efficient treatment in time success can be expected without expensive diagnostics and monitoring techniques. But in some cases highly specialized equipment will be necessary and must be available.