B type natriuretic peptide guided treatment for heart failure: is the GUIDE IT trail the end of the road?
In the last decades major advancements in the treatment of chronic heart failure (HF) have led to a significant reduction of mortality and morbidity. Optimized medical therapy, appropriate use of implantable device, like automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillators (AICD) or cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and implementation of disease management programmes, focused on tailored follow up, patient education and counselling about appropriate style of life, account for this progress.