Management of grown up congenital heart disease

s a result of the success of paediatric cardiology and cardiac surgery over the last three decades, there will shortly be more adults than children with congenital heart disease. Prior to the advent of surgery, less than 20% of children born with congenital heart malformations survived to adult life.1 Now, most deaths from congenital heart disease occur in adults. The ‘new population’ of patients with congenital heart disease no longer fits within traditional divisions of training and practice, which have separated adult and paediatric cardiology. Adult cardiologists are not equipped to deal with the range and complexity of grown-up patients with congenital heart disease, whereas paediatric cardiologists cannot be expected to manage the many acquired adult diseases in a paediatric medical environment. This report is intended to promote collaboration between the various professional groups involved in the care of adolescents and adults with congenital heart disease, administrators and those who provide resources for health care. Sustained effort to implement the recommendations of this Task Force will be required in order to bring to full fruition the huge successes achieved in the treatment of congenital heart disease in children over the last three decades.