Korean J Med.  2012 Jun;82(6):651-657.

The Pharmacologic Treatment of Acute Heart Failure

• Kim H

Abstract

Acute heart failure (HF) is commonly encountered in the emergency department and thus, the hospital admissions for worsening HF are increasing. However, the patients presenting with acute HF are heterogenous and complex at high risk of morbidity and mortality. The main goals of treatment for hospitalized patients with HF are to restore euvolemia and to maintain the hemodynamic status without causing adverse events. Currently, the recommendations are usually based on a clinical factor considering the initial systolic blood pressure and other symptoms. Accordingly, initial managements in the hospital generally include diuretics, vasodilators, morphine, and inotropic agents, all of which have been considered as traditional therapies. These agents should mainly increase cardiac output and improve symptoms, and importantly it should improve the clinical outcomes. The aim of this review is to describe the available and new pharmacologic drugs for patients presenting with acute HF.

Keyword

Acute heart failure; Diuretics; Vasodilators; Inotropes

MeSH Terms

Blood Pressure
Cardiac Output
Diuretics
Emergencies
Heart
Heart Failure
Hemodynamics
Humans
Morphine
Vasodilator Agents
Diuretics
Morphine
Vasodilator Agents