Devices in acute heart failure.

The optimal management strategy for patients with acutely decompensated heart failure has been limited to the use of various pharmacologic agents. However, with technological advances in mechanical devices, nonpharmacologic approaches now are available to supplement pharmacologic management. These devices range in sophistication and expertise and target various features of the acute heart failure patient, such as circulatory failure, volume overload, renal insufficiency, and respiratory failure. As more innovations and technologies emerge, these new devices may become a cornerstone of the management strategy in cardiac patients.