Chronic congestive heart failure in infancy and childhood: new aspects of diagnosis and treatment.

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 1 000 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!