Lifelong Care for Adults and Teens with Congenital Heart Disease
Research shows that adults born with heart defects who seek care from a congenital heart disease (CHD) specialist at a pediatric hospital are three times less likely to die from surgical complications. However, fewer than 20% of these adults in the U.S. are receiving the specialist care they need.
That’s why Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD) Program cardiologists at Cincinnati Children’s see patients at more than 10 locations across the region, from Louisville, Kentucky, to Dayton, Ohio. As the first nationally accredited comprehensive care center in the region, we understand how to treat all types of congenital heart defects in adults.
Why ACHD Care Could Be Just What You Need
Routine Follow-Up Care as an Adult Is Essential
The future can be bright for people living with congenital heart disease. But medical problems can arise years or decades after a heart condition is repaired during childhood. Every adult with CHD should see a specialist trained in adult congenital heart disease at least once. In most cases, patients should continue to see an ACHD specialist to monitor potential medical problems.
Routine check-ups are critical, even when you don’t have symptoms. This is because as a repaired heart grows and adapts through life, negative changes can occur. This includes heart rhythm disturbances, leaky valves, strokes, obstruction or even heart failure.
A heart affected by congenital heart disease is unique. For that reason, the gold standard of care today for adults with CHD is regular follow-up and treatment by specialists trained in adult congenital heart disease. In our Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program at Cincinnati Children’s, we offer that gold standard of care.