Table 1.

Therapeutic goals for chronic HF treatment in children

1. Preload optimization by avoiding intravascular, in particular intra-arterial, volume depletion

2. Reduction of the systemic vascular resistance without jeopardizing the coronary perfusion pressure

3. Optimizing myocardial oxygen consumption and re-establishing myocardial synchrony as well as VVI

4. Allowing time to establish endogenous and exogenous repair mechanisms