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Palliative Care Across the Life Span for Children With Heart Disease: A Scientific Statement From the American Heart

Elizabeth D Blume, Roxanne Kirsch, Melissa K Cousino

    Circulation. Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes
    |January 12, 2023
    PubMed

    Insights

    This American Heart Association statement offers guidance on palliative care for children with heart disease. It outlines an evidence-based approach for primary and specialty palliative care, improving quality of life for young patients.

    Area of Science:

    • Pediatric Cardiology
    • Palliative Care Medicine

    Background:

    • Survival rates for pediatric heart disease have improved, yet significant morbidity and mortality risks persist.
    • Palliative care is increasingly recognized as essential for managing complex pediatric heart conditions.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To provide evidence-based guidance on primary and subspecialty palliative care for pediatric congenital and acquired heart disease.
    • To define palliative care specific to pediatric heart disease and identify key indicators for its initiation.

    Main Methods:

    • A comprehensive literature search was conducted from January 2010 to December 2021, including seminal earlier works.
    • Included studies were human subject research and systematic reviews published in English in major databases like PubMed and Cochrane.

    Main Results:

    • The statement defines primary and specialty palliative care within the context of pediatric heart disease.
    • It outlines specific triggers and criteria for initiating palliative care interventions for affected children.

    Conclusions:

    • Palliative care plays a vital role in addressing the ongoing morbidity and mortality risks in pediatric heart disease.
    • The statement emphasizes the need for palliative care training, diversity, equity, inclusion, and future research in pediatric cardiology.
    Abstract

    Keywords:
    AHA Scientific Statementscardiologycongenital heart diseaseheart diseasesmorbiditypalliative carepediatric

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