Srpski arhiv za celokupno lekarstvo 2014 Volume 142, Issue 3-4, Pages: 243-248
https://doi.org/10.2298/SARH1404243M
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The incidence of congenital heart disease: Previous findings and perspectives
Miranović Vesna (Institute for Children’s Diseases, Clinical Center of Montenegro, Podgorica, Montenegro)
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common of all congenital
anomalies, and represent a significant global health problem. Involvement of
medical professionals of different profiles has led to drastic changes in
survival and quality of life of children with CHD. The motivation for the
implementation of the first large population studies on this subject was not
only to obtain answers to the question on the level of incidence of CHD, but
the harmonization of criteria and protocols for monitoring and treatment of
certain defects as well as the planning of medical staff dealing with
children with CHD. Data on the incidence varies from 4-10/1000 live births.
Fetal echocardiography can have potential impact on decrease of CHD
incidence. The increase in incidence may be due to the possibility that
children with CHD will grow up and have offsprings. Owing to the progress
that has been made, an increasing number of patients experiences adulthood,
creating an entirely new and growing population of patients: patients with
“adult” CHD. Survivors suffer morbidity resulting from their circulatory
abnormalities as well as from medical and surgical therapies they have been
subjected to. Application of the achievements of human genome projects will
in time lead to drastic changes in the approach to the patients with CHD.
Until the time when it is possible, the goal will be further improvement of
the existing system of service: networking in a unique, multicenter clinical
registry of patients with CHD, as well as upgrading of technical and
non-technical conditions for the treatment of patients with CHD. We are in an
unprecedented time of change, but are actually at the end of the beginning of
making pediatric cardiac care a highly reliable institution.
Keywords: congenital heart disease, incidence, echocardiography