Treatment of heart failure due to systolic dysfunction

: Heart failure due to systolic dysfunction is a clinical syndrome that is characterized by the appearance of the signs or symptoms of heart failure in the presence of structural heart disease that has led to decreased left ventricular contractility. Current clinical practice guidelines emphasize the importance of diagnosing and treating left ventricular dysfunction in patients without symptoms of heart disease. It is essential that currently available scientific findings are taken into account when treating all patients seen with this condition, from dietary advice to use of the most sophisticated devices. We do not know the precise treatment responses of patient belonging to subgroups that were underrepresented in large clinical trials. The present article, written after the recent publication of European and American clinical practice guidelines, provides a summary of recommended medical treatment for patients with heart failure due to systolic dysfunction.