The implementation of guidelines for medical therapy of heart failure may be problematic for the following reasons: 1. Elderly patients and women were underrepresented in large clinical trials which may limit their therapeutic impact in these patients. 2. Therapeutic decisions are influenced by co-morbidities like renal failure, obstructive airway disease (COLD, Asthma), stroke, and diabetes mellitus. We therefore discuss the differential therapy of heart failure in view of particular patient subgroups.