Congenital Heart Disease

Subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillators are effective in preventing arrhythmic death in people with congenital heart disease, with the devices successfully terminating all life-threatening ventricular arrhythmias, data show.

Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, affecting nearly 1% of births per year in the United States, according to the CDC.

Children who underwent implantation of a transcatheter leadless pacemaker experienced implant success, good electrical performance and a low level of major complications during short-term follow-up, real-world data show.

Using Danish registry data of more than 1.3 million residents, researchers observed no association between simple to moderate congenital heart disease and infertility, according to a study in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons has developed a model of mortality risk for adults with congenital heart disease undergoing cardiac operations.

Researchers in China determined that higher maternal periconception red blood cell folate concentration was associated with reduced risk for congenital heart disease in offspring.

A psychosocial intervention delivered via a mobile app reduced distress and helped prepare pregnant women and their partners after a fetal diagnosis of congenital heart disease, according to data from a pilot study.

The psychological needs of people with congenital heart disease remain largely unmet despite research suggesting mental health support is critical for quality of life, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement.

Researchers using RNA sequencing have identified unique cell and immune system signatures in tissue samples of children with congenital heart disease, offering a rare opportunity to better understand the origins of a complex disease.

Charles D. Fraser Jr., MD, a congenital heart surgeon, has been named as the inaugural executive director of the Institute for Cardiovascular Health, according to a press release.