ABSTRACT
Chronic heart failure is a complex condition,
and cannot be thought of simply as a failure of
the circulation to meet the metabolic demands
of the body. Practically no organ system is
spared the effects of heart failure. This
suggests many potential therapeutic
interventions, such as treatment by exercise
training, growth hormone or possibly
immunotherapy during episodes of fluid
retention. It may, too, assume greater
importance that each individual patient be
carefully characterized. In the future,
therapeutic strategies may need to be tailored
to the individual patient’s needs, and may
need to change frequently during the clinical
course of the illness.
