Serious heart defects increase heart failure risk in early adulthood

By ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News

Cavan Images/Cavan, Getty Images
(Cavan Images/Cavan, Getty Images)

Babies born with serious heart defects are surviving to adulthood in greater numbers, but new research shows they face another hurdle when they get there: heart failure.

The study found children born with the most critical heart problems were 30 times more likely to develop or die from heart failure or need a transplant in young adulthood than those born with less severe heart problems.

"We knew that every patient regardless of the severity of their congenital heart disease had a higher risk of having heart failure, but we were surprised by the magnitude," said researcher Dr. Lydia K. Wright, an advanced fellow in Pediatric Heart Failure and Transplant at Emory University's School of Medicine in Atlanta. She last week at the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥'s Scientific Sessions in Philadelphia.

About 40,000 children are born each year in the U.S. with a congenital heart defect, also referred to as congenital heart disease. Congenital means the problem is present at birth. Heart defects, from the more minor that don't need treatment to the more severe that require surgery shortly after birth, can affect the valves or walls inside the heart or the arteries and veins near it.

Heart failure occurs when the heart muscle is unable to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs for blood and oxygen.

The study used data collected by the Pediatric Cardiac Care Consortium on 35,611 children who survived their first congenital heart surgery. The children were followed for up to 33 years. During that time, 715 of them developed heart failure. Those who had a single or systemic right ventricle defect – which affects how the heart pumps blood – had the highest risk of developing heart failure.

"This study confirms what we suspected – that people born with congenital heart disease have a significant incidence of heart failure at a substantially earlier age than the people who develop heart failure due to acquired heart disease," said Dr. Ari Cedars, an associate professor at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.

Cedars, who was not involved with the research, said the findings also confirm smaller studies that suggest adults who were born with single or systemic right ventricle heart disease have the highest risk for heart failure.

For Wright, the research was a way to help answer her young patients' questions.

"Teens ask me if they will need a heart transplant in the future," she said. "I wanted to have concrete data to help accurately counsel them on what their life will look like later."

Cedars said the study underscores the need for doctors to change how they talk to patients about congenital heart defects.

"At some point in history, people thought that if a child survives until adulthood it is a victory," he said. "But we need to be taking a longer view and be preparing patients and their families for the fact that, depending on their anatomy, there is a very real probability they will need a heart transplant or advanced heart failure therapy at some point in middle age – and that this isn't a failure. It's just another part of living with congenital heart disease."

If you have questions or comments about this story, please email [email protected].


ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News Stories

ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News covers heart disease, stroke and related health issues. Not all views expressed in ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News stories reflect the official position of the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥. Statements, conclusions, accuracy and reliability of studies published in ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ scientific journals or presented at ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ scientific meetings are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥â€™s official guidance, policies or positions.

Copyright is owned or held by the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥., and all rights are reserved. Permission is granted, at no cost and without need for further request, for individuals, media outlets, and non-commercial education and awareness efforts to link to, quote, excerpt from or reprint these stories in any medium as long as no text is altered and proper attribution is made to ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥ News.

Other uses, including educational products or services sold for profit, must comply with the ľ¹ÏÖ±²¥â€™s Copyright Permission Guidelines. See full terms of use. These stories may not be used to promote or endorse a commercial product or service.

HEALTH CARE DISCLAIMER: This site and its services do not constitute the practice of medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always talk to your health care provider for diagnosis and treatment, including your specific medical needs. If you have or suspect that you have a medical problem or condition, please contact a qualified health care professional immediately. If you are in the United States and experiencing a medical emergency, call 911 or call for emergency medical help immediately.