[Treatment of dilated cardiomyopathies. Recent findings]

The drug therapy of decompensated cardiac insufficiency in dilated cardiomyopathies is based, still today, on the association of digitalis and diuretics, even though doubts had been expressed about the long term efficacy of glycosides. In the search for an ideal inotropic agent, several molecules recently synthesized are being investigated. The results obtained are not entirely satisfactory, either because the functional advantage is finally exhausted, or because of the frequency of side effects. Among the vasodilators, inhibitors of the conversion enzyme give better results by producing a substantial and lasting improvement of the ventricle performance, without tachyphylaxis or sympathetic compensation phenomenon. In some patients,the use of Beta-blockers could be beneficial, but the definitive proof is not yet furnished and the results are inconsistent.