Cardiac dysfunction precipitates changes in vascular function, blood volume, and neurohumoral status. These changes serve as compensatory mechanisms to help maintain cardiac output (primarily by the Frank-Starling mechanism) and arterial blood pressure (by systemic vasoconstriction).

The understanding of the underlying pathophysiology of heart failure is essential to initiate the adequate therapeutic option individually for each patient. Furthermore, prevention of cardiovascular risk factors is essential to lower the

Heart failure results from injury to the myocardium from a variety of causes including ischemic heart disease, hypertension, and diabetes. Less common etiologies include cardiomyopathies, valvular disease, myocarditis

Identification of the pathophysiological mechanism leading to heart failure is crucial to choose adequate therapeutic options i.e., valve repair, treatment of rhythm disorders, pharmacological treatment.