What are the novelties in acute heart failure?

Acute heart failure (AHF) is an integral part of the course of chronic disease, such as HF. It can be initial de novo or acutely decompensated chronic HF, but this cardinal division is contested in the new published universal defi nition of HF. Basic and newer diagnostic methods are considered in this review to help the medical professionals in fi nding the exact reason for dyspnea and to defi ne patients at increased risk of adverse outcomes. The therapeutic possibilities for managing AHF in recent years with their successes and failures are discussed. It is concluded that AHF is a clinical syndrome with still high mortality and rehospitalization rates and that the timely diagnosis and treatment may favourably affect the prognosis.