Chronic heart failure in children: etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture and diagnosis

Introduction. Chronic heart failure (CHF) is a threatening complication of cardiovascular diseases or damage in other pathological processes. CHF is characterized by a significant risk of disability and mortality in childhood. The progression of CHF of any etiology is based on the process of cardiovascular remodeling associated with the activation of neurohormonal systems, sympathicoadrenal and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone. Aim of the review: to highlight the issues of the modern view of the etiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis and clinical features in CHF children to increase the knowledge in practitioners for better management of patients. A modern pharmacological treatment method that affects the prognosis and prevents the progression of myocardial damage is based on modulation of the activity of sympathicoadrenal and renin-angiotensin-aldosterone systems at the circulating, tissue, and cellular levels. When determining the treatment of children, the etiology of CHF should be established, concomitant diseases should be identified, the variant and severity of myocardial dysfunction should be determined, and the severity of clinical manifestations should be assessed.