Chronic Congestive Heart Failure in Infancy and Childhood: New Aspects of Diagnosis and Treatment

摘要

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is the inability of the heart to meet the metabolic demands of the body. As a disease of the advanced age with a frequency of 1-2% of the population it is rare in infancy and childhood. The incidence ranges from 2.95 (in all US children's hospitals) to 23.2 (University's Childrens Hospital Essen) on 1000 discharges. Among the diagnostic procedures echocardiography is the primary modality of imaging. Tei-index and tissue-Doppler are more sensitive parameters for LV-dysfunction. BNP/NT-proBNP are age-dependent and can guide the long-term therapy. Treatment in childhood does not differ basically from that in adulthood, recommended by several guidelines, but data regarding the various substances - outlined in detail - are very limited. Here a big work has to be done in future!