Conditions Treated
The Emory Adult Congenital Heart (EACH) Center is one of only a few programs of its kind in the U.S. — and the only one in Georgia — specializing in the diagnosis and treatment of adults with moderate and complex congenital heart defects (CHDs) as defined by the American Heart Association/American College of Cardiology 2008 Guidelines for the Management of Adults With Congenital Heart Disease.
The program features a multidisciplinary management team that diagnoses adult patients with congenital heart diseases and provides the best care available.
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Adult CHD Facts • According to the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA), there are about one million adults living with CHDs in the U.S. The majority need ongoing specialized care. • Adults with CHDs can have a broad range of concerns, including: • Adolescents with CHDs sometimes develop “adult” acquired cardiac problems |
Simple CHDs are relatively uncomplicated heart defects that are not associated with other heart conditions. Patients with these conditions may not require treatment in an adult CHD (ACHD) center. These patients can usually be cared for in the general medical community.
Native conditions:
Isolated congenital aortic valve disease
Isolated congenital mitral valve disease (except parachute valve, cleft leaflet)
Isolated patent foramen ovale or small atrial septal defect
Isolated small ventricular septal defect (no associated lesions)
Mild pulmonic stenosis
Repaired conditions:
Previously ligated or occluded ductus arteriosus
Repaired secundum or sinus venosus
Atrial septal defect without residua
Repaired ventricular septal defect without residua
*Adapted from “Care of the Adult with Congenital Heart Disease.” Presented at: the 32nd Bethesda Conference; October 2-3, 2000; Bethesda, MD.
Moderately severe and complex congenital heart diseases include more serious defects that occur during the heart’s development. These conditions generally require surgical repair and long-term management at an ACHD center such as EACH. These patients should be seen periodically at adult congenital heart disease centers.
Aorto-left ventricular fistulae
Anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (partial or total)
Atrioventricular canal defects (partial or complete)
Coarctation of the aorta
Ebstein’s anomaly
Infundibular right ventricular outflow obstruction of significance
Ostium primum atrial septal defect
Patent ductus arteriosus (not closed)
Pulmonary valve regurgitation (moderate to severe)
Pulmonic valve stenosis (moderate to severe)
Sinus of Valsalva fistula/aneurysm
Sinus venosus atrial septal defect
Subvalvar or supravalvar aortic stenosis (except HOCM†)
Tetralogy of Fallot
Ventricular septal defect with:
Absent valve or valves
Aortic regurgitation
Coarctation of the aorta
Mitral disease
Right ventricular outflow tract obstruction
Straddling tricuspid/mitral valve
Subaortic stenosis
†HOCM = hypertrophic obstructive cardiomyopathy
*Adapted from “Care of the Adult with Congenital Heart Disease.” Presented at: the 32nd Bethesda Conference; October 2-3, 2000; Bethesda, MD.
These patients should be seen regularly at adult congenital heart disease centers.
Conduits, valved or nonvalved
Cyanotic congenital heart (all forms)
Double-outlet ventricle
Eisenmenger syndrome
Fontan procedure
Mitral atresia
Single ventricle (also called double inlet or outlet, common or primitive)
Pulmonary atresia (all forms)
Pulmonary vascular obstructive diseases
Transposition of the great arteries
Congenitally corrected transposition of the great arteries
Tricuspid atresia
Truncus arteriosus/hemitruncus
Other abnormalities of atrioventricular or ventriculoarterial connection not included above (i.e., crisscross heart, isomerism, heterotaxy syndromes).
*Adapted from “Care of the Adult with Congenital Heart Disease.” Presented at: the 32nd Bethesda Conference; October 2-3, 2000; Bethesda, MD.
