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.