Introduction. Dilated cardiomyopathy is considered as the most common cause of chronic heart failure syndrome.
The place of dilated cardiomyopathy in the classification of cardiomyopathies. The complexity of dilated cardiomyopathy, as well as that of other cardiomyopathies, is well reflected in the two proposed classifications of cardiomyopathies. Interestingly, these two classifications, one of them being prepared by the American Heart Association and the other by the European Heart Society, have some differences which are discussed in the article.
Etiology and pathogenesis of dilated cardiomyopathy. Recently, a lot of data have appeared concerning the complicated pathogenesis of this condition. It is clear now that not only the sympathetic nervous system and the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system are important for the progression of dilated cardiomyopathy to heart failure. Autoimmunity, genetic defects, metallomatrixproteinases, increased collagen depostition and degradation, beta2-adrenoreceptors and many other factors also seem to play a crucial role here. They become the new targets of novel treatment methods and drugs that are under development.
Conclusions. In this article, we briefly outline the place of dilated cardiomyopathy in the new proposed classifications of cardiomyopathies and summarize the novelties of investigations in the field of this condition.

Keywords: dilated cardiomyopathy, heart failure