[Diagnosis and treatment of infantile cardiac insufficiency (author's transl)].

Congenital vitium cordis and myocardial diseases, rare arrhythmias and other factors are the causes of heart failure which imposes a life-threatening clinical condition in infancy and childhood with a sometimes characteristic, but often also unspecific symptomatology. An intensive program of general and medicinal measures is required of which digitalis therapy is the central feature. In addition, diuretics, catecholamines and buffer substances are essential among other things. The success and duration of treatment depends on the primary disease.