Treatment of Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction: Current Update

The prevalence of heart failure (HF) has been steadily increasing and it now creates an enormous social and economic burden. HF is a syndrome characterized by a high mortality rate, frequent hospitalization, a reduced quality of life, and a complex therapeutic regimen. In the last three decades, major progress in both the diagnosis and management of HF has taken place, and the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic advances have led to a significant improvement in survival and symptoms in HF patients. After an accurate diagnosis, a proper HF management plan requires a multi-level team approach comprised of the correct combination of drug therapy, device therapy, and surgery, including heart transplantation. In this review, we focused on the pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic treatment strategies for HF with reduced ejection fraction. The goal was to develop treatment guidelines based on significant evidence derived from large clinical trials. (Korean J Med 2015;88:127-134)