[Diuretics (especially thiazide derivatives and indapamide that also has vasodilator efficacy) are considered as first line treatment in hypertension. They are particularly favourable in the treatment of overweight, elderly, isolated systolic hypertensive patients suffering from type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome or in mild renal and cardiac insufficiency. They can be ideally combined with other antihypertensive agents (primarily with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blocking agents és béta-blockers). If hypertension is associated with left ventricular hypertrophy or stroke indapamide is the appropriate choice. In case of left ventricular dysfunction and heart failure thiazide and/or furosemide is the adequate option. Low dose diuretics have no clinically relevant side effects and reduce cardiac mortality to the same extent as other pharmaceutical interventions.]

[Acute heart failure may develop in previously healthy hearts. Nevertheless, structural abnormalities can facilitate its development and also, chronic heart failure can progress into acute stage. Considering the total cost of care in the patient's life, this is the most expensive heart disease. The clinical signs and physical abnormalities are usually of diagnostic power, however, instrumental investigations are necessary to recognize complications and to guide therapy. Patients should be monitored in well equipped coronary care units. Therapy consists of medications, coronary revascularization and use of mechanical assist devices.]

[Heart failure has a poor prognosis despite the advances in pharmacological treatment. The utilization of non-pharmacological treatment with appropriate indications significantly improves the quality of life and life expectancy of these patients. Cardiac resynchronization therapy with biventricular pacemaker has a clinically proven efficacy in the treatment of heart failure associated with intraventricular dyssynchrony. Implantable cardioverter- defibrillators decrease the mortality from sudden cardiac death. Heart transplantation is needed in cases refractory to therapy. There are several other non-pharmacological treatment approaches, including mechanical circulatory assist devices, total artificial heart and ultrafiltration, whose routine application is not recommended due to limited clinical experience, but the initial results are promising.]

[Recent advances in the care of acute myocardial infarction have resulted in more patients surviving myocardial infarction than earlier. However, heart failure is a common complication in these patients, which in turn is associated with substantial mortality, primarily due to a remodelling of the left ventricle that already starts in an early stage of the myocardial infarction. The aim of this review article is to present the pathomechanism of this remodelling and to discuss related therapeutic options. Current guidelines recommend the use of an angiotensin- converting enzyme inhibitor combined with or followed by an angiotensin receptor blocker, a beta-blocker, and an aldosterone antagonist in post-infarction patients with concomitant heart failure.]

[The rennin-angiotensin system plays a major role in cardiovascular diseases. In the past decade, extensive research investigated the possible clinical benefit of the use of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors in various clinical conditions. Their benefits have been clearly demonstrated in many cardiovascular conditions and agreement as to their potential usefulness has been established in chronic heart failure, asymptomatic left ventricular dysfunction, acute myocardial infarction and hypertension, and in the primary prevention in patients with high risk for cardiovascular events. Numerous randomised clinical trials over the past two decades established their efficacy in reducing adverse outcomes (mortality, hospitalitazion, and physical limitation) in patients with heart failure and left ventricular systolic dysfunction. Based on these results, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors are indicated in all patients with left ventricular systolic dysfunction regardless of etiology, in the absence of intolerance or a contraindication. Despite the recent improvements in the treatment of heart failure, mortality remains high, with approximately 50% patients dead at five years. Although angiotensinconverting enzyme inhibitors decrease mortality, they incompletely suppress angiotenzin-2 when used chronically. Since angiotensin receptor blockers block the biologic effects of angiotenzin-2 more completely than angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, they may be beneficial in the treatment of heart failure. In comparison trials, angiotensin receptor blockers were found to have no benefit over angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy. Thus, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors should remain first-line treatment for heart failure. However, in case of intolerance, angiotensin receptor blocker therapy is a reasonable substitute and provides excellent tolerability.]