Arrhythmias in Congenital Heart Disease

Cardiac defects are the most common congenital defects, accounting for approximately 9 per 1000 births. Patients with structural heart disease related to congenital diseases are prone to develop intrinsic rhythm abnormalities as a result of altered physiology. In addition, they are at an increased risk of developing acquired arrhythmias secondary to the nature of surgical interventions done to improve physiologic function in the setting of these defects. Arrhythmia management and risk stratification pose particularly complex challenges to clinicians managing this population.