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Heart failure doesn't mean the heart has stopped.
In most cases, heart failure simply means that the heart muscle isn't pumping as well as it should. This reduces the flow of oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.
There are two types of heart failure: systolic and diastolic.
Systolic heart failure is the most common form. With this type, the heart is so weak it can’t pump blood out to the body. So, the blood starts to back up into the lungs.
With diastolic heart failure, the heart muscle is thick and isn't able to relax enough to fill the heart with blood properly.
Heart failure isn't always apparent in children and teens.
Inborn heart defects can cause pediatric heart failure.
But even children born with normal hearts can develop heart muscle problems (cardiomyopathy) because of an:
When doctors don't know the exact cause of heart muscle problems, they call this idiopathic cardiomyopathy.
In children, heart failure may cause symptoms such as:
In infants, sweating during feeding can be a clue to heart failure.
Pediatric heart failure can go unnoticed at first and then suddenly seem to show up overnight.
Because heart failure can cause problems in other organs with more overt symptoms, doctors will sometimes overlook the heart as a cause. Instead, they might focus on the liver or digestive tract.
If your child has shortness of breath or a poor appetite, your doctor might refer him or her to a heart specialist.
Your child's heart doctor will do a thorough:
The doctor might also order tests such as:
Once your child's doctor confirms a heart failure diagnosis, he or she will discuss treatment options based on severity and symptoms.
Knowing the prevalence of heart failure in children is challenging because there are few national databases tracking this pediatric disease.
Researchers at Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh and other academic institutions are working to measure and track children affected by heart failure.
Through our research, we hope to:
Contact the Heart Failure Program at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh at 412-692-5540 for details on:
Children's Hospital's main campus is located in the Lawrenceville neighborhood. Our main hospital address is:
UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh One Children’s Hospital Way 4401 Penn Ave. Pittsburgh, PA 15224
In addition to the main hospital, Children's has many convenient locations in other neighborhoods throughout the greater Pittsburgh region.
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