[Chronic respiratory insufficiency and pulmonary heart disease--therapeutic aspects]

The term chronic respiratory insufficiency embraces always the involvement of the heart under the picture of pulmonary heart disease. The pathogenetic peculiarities of the impairment of the heart function and of the development of oedemas must be considered in the treatment. At present, treatment can only be symptomatic, and its long-term efficiency must be critically estimated. The importance of long-term oxygen therapy at home is explained.