Aim: to work out an approach of preoperative drug preparation for CAD patients with low LVEF and varying degrees of compensation for CHF, to study the possibility of using levosimendan (L) in this preparation. Materials and methods. We studied 82 patients with severe angina pectoris, multivascular coronary disease, extensive postinfarction zone, LVEF ≤35%, chronic heart failure and proven viable myocardium, which performed CABG. All patients received long - term standard CHF therapy before surgery: loop diuretic, ACE/ARA, beta - blocker, aldosterone antagonist. In the first, retrospective part of the study (39 pts), it was determined which factors could be associated with perioperative AHF. In the second, prospective part (43 pts), the course of the operation and the early postoperative period in patients with compensated and uncompensated heart failure were compared; uncompensated pts received L 2 days before surgery in addition to standard therapy. The third, retro - prospective part of the study (37 pts) was the assessment of operation outcome in patients only with uncompensated pre - operative CHF, but with different preoperative drug preparation. Results. Statistically significant direct influence on the perioperative AHF development was provided by the combined clinical sign - venous pulmonary congestion+orthopnea (p