[Chronic heart failure with impaired left ventricular function (systolic heart failure)]

Chronic heart failure is a common public health problem. The disease has a poor prognosis with high mortality rate and the incidence increases continuously. Prognosis of chronic systolic heart failure can be improved by several different medications as well as by special cardiac interventions based on the newly-published European and American guidelines. In case of severe systolic dysfunction, hospitalization and mortality can be reduced using angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blocking drugs, beta-receptor blocking agents and aldosterone antagonists, as evidenced in multicentric studies. In selected cases different cardiac interventions, such as intracardial defibrillator and/or cardiac desynchronization device implantation can be used for supporting the failing left ventricle. In terminal stage, special devices (ventricular assist device, intra-aortic balloon pump, arteficial heart) and, finally, heart transplantation can be applied. In this paper, the authors highlight therapeutic options of chronic systolic heart failure referring to recommendations of the latest, 2012 guideline from the European Society of Cardiology.