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Congenital heart disease in adults: Catheterization laboratory considerations
Author(s) -
Fox James M.,
Bjornsen Katherine D.,
Mahoney Larry T.,
Fagan Thomas E.,
Skorton David J.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
catheterization and cardiovascular interventions
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.988
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1522-726X
pISSN - 1522-1946
DOI - 10.1002/ccd.10433
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiac catheterization , heart disease , intensive care medicine , physical examination , disease , coronary angiography , angiography , pediatrics , surgery , cardiology , myocardial infarction
Congenital heart defects are the most common birth defects and represent an increasing proportion of adolescent and adult patients followed by cardiologists. While many of these patients have undergone successful palliative or corrective surgery with excellent functional results, most of them still require careful follow‐up. Further, even complex lesions may first be diagnosed in adolescence and adulthood. Therefore, cardiologists caring for adults need to become more familiar with these defects. Assessment of the patient with known or suspected congenital heart defects requires a careful history, physical examination, and noninvasive assessment. In addition, the catheterization laboratory remains a critical venue for diagnosis and, increasingly, therapy. Pressure measurements, oximetry, and angiography remain cornerstones of diagnosis in selected patients and a variety of interventional procedures have become viable therapeutic alternatives in both pre‐ and postoperative patients. Cathet Cartiovasc Intervent 2003;58:219–231. © 2003 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.