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Pathophysiology of pediatric heart failure
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Pathophysiology of pediatric heart failure

Marcelo Auslender
Progress in pediatric cardiology, Vol.11(3), pp.175-184
2000
DOI: 10.1016/S1058-9813(00)00048-5
PMID: 10978710

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Abstract

Our understanding of the syndrome of heart failure has undergone several revisions, most importantly in the second half of the 20th century. New insights into the mechanisms of diseases offer new, challenging, controversial and sometimes counterintuitive forms of therapy. The development and progression of heart failure results from a complex interplay of hemodynamic and neurohormonal, cellular and genetic factors, rather than simply changes in cardiac function. It is because of this reason that our therapeutic focus can no longer be solely based on supply and demand models. Since the description of the pulsatile nature of the heart function and the flow of blood around a circuit by W. Harvey, numerous new paradigms have been put forward to explain the nature of heart failure. However, no single new model thus far proposed has been able to displace previous ones and successfully dictate therapy. It is the purpose of this manuscript to review the overall current understanding of the heart failure syndrome and how these new ideas may affect our therapeutic approach.
Heart failure Immature heart Neuroendocrine Maladaptation Remodeling Pediatric Adaptation

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