Acute right ventricular failure

Acute right ventricular failure is a syndrome, which is related to pulmonary and right heart dysfunction. It may occur with or without cardiopulmonary pathologies. It is often life threatening and requires early recognition and urgent treatment. In this review article, precipitating factors for right ventricular failure and its pathophysiological mechanisms, clinical picture and hemodynamic manifestations, the principles of the management of acute right ventricular failure (optimization of preload, increase in cardiac output, specific pulmonary vascular vasodilators, problems of mechanical ventilations, etc.) are discussed.