Introduction:

Congenital heart disease is a frequent cause of heart failure while acquired heart disease is less frequent. The clinical expression differs greatly from the adult population and represents the most frequent cardiovascular emergency in pediatrics. Diagnosis is completely clinical and treatment is aimed at correcting the cause.

Objective:

To update concepts, pathophysiology, clinical manifestations and treatment of heart failure in pediatrics.

Methods:

The databases Medline, PubMed, SciELO and Springerlink platform, available from Infomed, were reviewed from 2000 to 2020, in Spanish and English.

Analysis and synthesis of the information:

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome resulting from ventricular dysfunction, pressure or volume overload, independently or in combination, leading to characteristic signs and symptoms. Identification of its cause, early diagnosis and timely treatment improve the prognosis of afflicted patients.

Conclusions:

Heart failure in pediatric age represented a complex condition with multifactorial causes. The diagnosis can be made with the clinical method, complemented with different examinations. Pharmacological or non-pharmacological medical treatment is aimed at treating the cause, in addition to promising new therapies under development in the future.

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