HOW EUROPEAN CARDIOLOGISTS PERCEIVE THE ROLE OF CALCIUM-ANTAGONISTS IN THE TREATMENT OF HEART-FAILURE AND LEFT-VENTRICULAR DYSFUNCTION

In a poll of European cardiologists, one of the most popular of the gi ven definitions of heart failure centres on the abnormality of ventric ular function. However, opinion remains divided on the necessity of a distinction between diastolic and systolic heart failure, as it does o n the value and procedures of stress testing. The 'no-reflow' phenomen on continues to pose a challenge in conditions requiring myocardial re perfusion, and precise identification of some heart disorders apparent ly remains difficult in many cases. Drug treatment of conditions like left ventricular dysfunction or arterial hypertension is open to conti nuing discussion, but calcium antagonists seem assured of an important role.