Adults with CHD

Adult CHD Survivor & World Cup Soccer Champion Lauren Holiday!

August 27, 2015 was nothing short of an AMZAZING night! I am beyond honored to have been invited to the final home game and retirement ceremony for CHD Survivor and World Cup Champion Lauren Holiday. Lauren was born with an Atrial Septal Defect and Pulmonary Artery Defect. She had her open heart surgery at ageContinue Reading

Adults with CHD – Part One

Keeping Your Heart Healthy Since you have congenital heart disease, it’s very important for you to follow the “healthy-heart recommendations” for diet and activity. No matter what type of heart disease you have, a better overall level of physical fitness will help you do your normal daily activities more easily. Also, you have the sameContinue Reading

Adults with CHD – Part Two

Pregnancy More females with congenital heart defects (CHD) are surviving, and thriving, into adolescence and adulthood. All females with CHD should receive counseling when they are sexually active and especially when they plan to or become pregnant. A thorough assessment of their current cardiac status will help provide appropriate advice on how their cardiovascular systemContinue Reading

Adults with CHD – Part Three

Genetic Counseling When a child is born with a congenital heart defect, two of the most common questions are: “Why did this occur?” and “Will it happen again in our family?” These same questions come up when a person with congenital heart disease considers having children. Genetic counseling can help answer these questions and addressContinue Reading

Adults with CHD – Part Four

Heart Transplant A heart transplant is performed by replacing the patient’s heart with a donor heart. Doctors remove the patient’s heart by transecting the aorta, the main pulmonary artery and the superior and inferior vena cavae, and dividing the left atrium, leaving the back wall of the left atrium with the pulmonary vein openings inContinue Reading

Adults with CHD – Part Five

Infective Endocarditis Infective endocarditis (IE), also called bacterial endocarditis (BE), is an infection caused by bacteria that enter the bloodstream and settle in the heart lining, a heart valve or a blood vessel. Although IE is uncommon, people with some types of congenital heart disease have a greater risk of developing it. The American HeartContinue Reading

Shortage of US Cardiologists

The demand for cardiologists in the US far exceeds the supply, and this shortage will continue to get worse with time, according to a new report published online September 10, 2009 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. At present, there is shortage of more than 1600 general cardiologists and nearly 2000 interventionalContinue Reading

CHD Babies forgotten at 18?

February is American Heart Month, a time when we remember the importance of good heart health. But this year doctors are shining the light on those who are all too often forgotten. They are kids who are born with heart defects, who live to become adults. A staggering number of them are now living withoutContinue Reading