The ‘Ten Commandments’ in Adult Congenital Heart Disease GuidelinesFrom the 2020 European Society of Cardiology Guidelines for the Management of Adult Congenital Heart disease

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a lifelong condition and appropriate follow-up in expert hands is a key to achieving a good long-term outcome by recognizing and addressing the specific and highly variable complications timely. All adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) patients should be seen once in a specialist centre, allowing ACHD specialists to determine the most appropriate level of care —exclusive care in a specialist centre, shared care between the centre and general adult cardiac services, or care in non-specialist cardiology clinics with access to specialized care when required—as well as adequate follow-up intervals for each individual patient.Echocardiography remains the first-line imaging modality but cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging (and computed tomography) is frequently required during the diagnostic work-up particularly for quantification of right ventricular and single ventricle volumes, evaluation of the right ventricular outflow tract, quantification of pulmonary regurgitation, evaluation of pulmonary arteries, pulmonary veins, aorta, collaterals, arteriovenous malformations, intra- and extracardiac masses, myocardial perfusion and scare, and for quantification of flows.Cardiopulmonary exercise testing and measurement of neurohormone levels play an important role in the serial follow-up and the timing of intervention and re-intervention.Cardiac catheterization is mandatory in patients with signs of elevated pulmonary artery pressure to assess...
Source: European Heart Journal - Category: Cardiology Source Type: research