Abstract
Heart failure is a severe chronic disease and associated with high rates of hospitalization, healthcare costs and mortality. The results of epidemiological studies in young adults, which born prematurely, show an 8-fold increase in the development of heart failure compared to the general population. Decreased numbers of the cardiomyocyte in preterm infants have adverse effects on lifelong cardiac functional reserve as well as myocardial reparative and adaptive capacity. It may provide a plausible explanation for the increased incidence of heart failure in children and adolescents who born very preterm. This review of the literature focuses on the pathophysiology of the “heart of prematurity phenotype” and its role as risk factor of heart failure in adolescents and young adults, as well as the importance of monitoring these patients by a cardiologist throughout their lives.
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About the authors
- Irina Yu. Baryshnikova, Cand. Med. Sci., Researcher; ORCID
- Rena M. Gasanova, Dr. Med. Sci, Head of Perinatal Center, Cardiologist, Ultrasound Specialist; ORCID
