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Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease
07:27

Implantation of Total Artificial Heart in Congenital Heart Disease

Published on: July 18, 2014

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Common long-term complications of adult congenital heart disease: avoid falling in a H.E.A.P

M Ministeri1,2,3, R Alonso-Gonzalez1,2,3, L Swan1,2,3

  • 1a Adult Congenital Heart Centre and National Centre for Pulmonary Hypertension , Royal Brompton Hospital , London , UK.

Expert Review of Cardiovascular Therapy
|December 19, 2015
PubMed

Insights

Most patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) now survive to adulthood, but face long-term complications. Early recognition and expert management are crucial for adults with CHD.

Area of Science:

  • Cardiology
  • Cardiac Surgery
  • Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD)

Background:

  • Significant advances in cardiology and cardiac surgery have improved survival rates for neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD), with 85% now surviving into adulthood.
  • Despite improved outcomes, CHD is not curable, leading to common long-term complications in adults such as heart failure, endocarditis, arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of the most common long-term complications encountered in adults with CHD.
  • To describe the current state-of-the-art management for these complications in tertiary specialist centers.

Main Methods:

  • Review of current literature and clinical guidelines on long-term complications in adults with CHD.
  • Description of management strategies employed in specialist Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) centers.

Main Results:

  • Heart failure, endocarditis, arrhythmias, and pulmonary hypertension are identified as the most frequent long-term complications in adults with CHD.
  • Tertiary expert care and timely management are essential for addressing these complications.

Conclusions:

  • Adults with CHD require ongoing specialized care to manage long-term complications effectively.
  • Primary care physicians and general cardiologists must be vigilant in recognizing and referring patients with potential complications to ACHD specialists.

Keywords:
Congenital heart diseaseadult congenital heart diseasearrhythmiacomplicationsendocarditisheart failurepulmonary hypertension

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