Treatment options for such conditions, both general and more specific were presented. A multi-disciplinary approach optimizes the patient s recovery. The neonatal myocardium has reduced myocardial reserve, limited recruitable stroke volume and a blunted response to circulating catecholamines. Management of left ventricular dysfunction begins by optimizing the patients heart rate, preload, contractility and afterload. Right heart dysfunction can cause decreased cardiac output and increased right sided filling pressures.
Patients develop hypotension, tachycardia and poor tissue perfusion.
Vasoactive agents in patients with right heart failure are aimed at increasing right ventricular contractility and increase coronary blood flow. Decreasing right ventricular afterload is also important. After a thought-provoking question and answer period, there was a coffee break and time for the participants to mingle with the exhibitors. As an increasing number of children with CHD survive into adolescence and young adulthood, more patients will require additional surgery either related to or unrelated to their heart disease. In almost all patients with repaired or palliated CHD some residual abnormality exists.