Adult Congenital Heart Disease is Really a Heterogenous Specialty: Message from the Colombian Adult Congenital Heart Disease Chapter

John Jairo Araujo

Cochair Adult Congenital Heart Disease Council in Inter American Society of Cardiology & Chapter´s president ACHD from Colombian Society of Cardiology, Somer in Care Cardiovascular Center, Pediatric and Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program

Dr. John Jairo Araujo, Cochair Adult Congenital Heart Disease Council in Inter American Society of Cardiology & Chapter´s president ACHD from Colombian Society of Cardiology, Somer in Care Car-diovascular Center, Pediatric an

Keywords: Adults Congenital Heart Disease; Colombian Chapter; Pediatric Cardiology

Abstract

Congenital heart defects are the most frequent malformation. The prevalence varies among the different geographical regions of the world, due in part to the birth rate, population density and local record-keeping. With increased survival, the congenital heart population has undergone a great change, increasing the prevalence of adults with congenital heart disease.
Surgical and survival successes have turned the pediatric patient with congenital heart dis-ease into an adult postoperative patient. It is estimated that 10%-15% of congenital heart diseases are diagnosed in adulthood in developed countries, and 30% in Latin American countries. Thus, the clinical presentation and natural evolution will be more severe. The adult´s postoperative heart is not a healthy heart, it is a transformed, ¨neo-formed¨, heart. Its original, or native, anatomy has been modified with synthetic repair elements. Postoperative patients have long, asymptomatic “honeymoon” periods; during this time, many discontinue medical follow-up, and most patients are discharged to general adult cardiology services where the importance of ongoing care of the prior surgical repairs is not taken into account. This patient have really a heterogenous disease, which natural course and clinical presentation may be affected by the concomitant diseases acquired in adulthood.

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