Pediatric Heart Failure: An Evolving Public Health Concern

The care of children suffering from heart failure presents unique challenges that are inadequately met at the present time. In the pediatric population, a wide variety of disease processes can result in heart failure, including primary cardiomyopathy as well as an expanding population of children with palliated complex congenital heart disease (CHD). Regardless of the underlying etiology of heart failure, pediatric heart failure outcomes remain poor despite growing resource utilization. In addition, given the overlap in symptomatology between heart failure and more common childhood illnesses, the diagnosis of new-onset heart failure in children requires a heightened level of suspicion in combination with early pediatric cardiology consultation.
Source: The Journal of Pediatrics - Category: Pediatrics Authors: Tags: Commentary Source Type: research