Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Complicating Congenital Heart Disease: Advances in Therapy

2017 ◽  
Vol 38 (05) ◽  
pp. 636-650 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margarita Brida ◽  
Laura Price ◽  
Colm McCabe ◽  
Rafael Alonso-Gonzalez ◽  
Stephen Wort ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Term Survival ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial

AbstractCongenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common inborn defect, affecting approximately 1% of all newborns worldwide. Advances in its diagnosis and treatment have led to dramatic improvements in patients' quality of life and long-term survival. Nevertheless, despite these innovations many patients require life-long follow-up and are at risk of numerous complications, namely, residual or progressive hemodynamic lesions, arrhythmia, sudden cardiac death, and the development of heart failure and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), despite timely surgical intervention. Ill advisedly, some patients are also lost to follow-up, assuming that their early life surgical or catheter-based intervention was curative, hence missing out on invaluable lifetime screening and timely interventions that may be necessary. Additionally, there are many patients with undiagnosed or unoperated CHD in the developing world presenting later in life with irreversible complications. Even in this modern era of diagnosis and screening, PAH-CHD remains a burden in patients with CHD, with approximations of up to 10% in this heterogeneous group and is associated with an adverse impact on quality of life and survival.

scholarly journals Strategies for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with congenital heart disease

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nathalie Liew ◽  
Zoya Rashid ◽  
Robert Tulloh
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Standard Management ◽  
Advanced Therapies ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial ◽  
The Uk

Abstract Background Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is commonly seen in adults who have congenital heart disease (CHD). Therapy is available for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and has greatly benefitted many patients with PAH related to CHD (PAH-CHD) over the last 15 years, with evidence of improved quality of life and prognosis in those with Eisenmenger syndrome and repaired PAH-CHD. In this review, we describe the standard management and advanced therapies for PAH, which are available in specialist PH centres around the UK and Ireland, and how these are used in PAH-CHD. Decisions around the choice of therapy are governed by commissioning and available evidence. Conclusion We explain the different pathways for action and the variety of medications now at our disposal to help this important group of patients.

scholarly journals Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Associated with Congenital Heart Disease in Adults over the Age of 40 Years

2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (12) ◽  
pp. 4071
Author(s):  
Susanne J. Maurer ◽  
Katharina Stöckemann ◽  
Claudia Pujol ◽  
Jürgen Hörer ◽  
Peter Ewert ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Univariate Analysis ◽  
All Cause Mortality ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial ◽  
Significant Mortality

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with adult congenital heart disease (PAH-ACHD) leads to significant mortality at a young age. Risk factors for a negative outcome in older adults are lacking. Methods: PAH-ACHD patients ≥ 40 years of age under active follow-up between January 2005 and December 2018 were included. Demographic data, as well as medical/surgical history, were retrieved from hospital records. The primary end-point was all-cause mortality. Results: In total, 65 patients (67.7% female, mean age 45.19 ± 6.75 years) were included. Out of these, 46 (70.8%) had a shunt lesion, 12 (18.5%) had PAH associated with complex congenital heart defects, and 7 (10.8%) had segmental pulmonary hypertension due to major aorto-pulmonary collaterals. Down syndrome was present in 13 patients (20.0%). During a median follow-up of 4.2 years (IQR 1.2–7.5), 16 patients (24.6%) died. On univariate analysis, NT-proBNP (log), creatinine, and a previous history of ventricular arrhythmias were predictors of all-cause mortality. Upon multivariate analysis, NT-proBNP (log) (HR: 4.1, 95% CI: 1.2–14.4, p = 0.029) and creatinine (HR: 16.3, 95% CI: 2.2–118.7, p = 0.006) remained as independent predictors of all-cause mortality. Conclusions: PAH-ACHD patients over the age of 40 years are burdened with significant mortality, of which NT-proBNP and creatinine are independent predictors.

scholarly journals Pulmonary arterial hypertension populations of special interest: portopulmonary hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with congenital heart disease

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (Supplement_K) ◽  
pp. K37-K45 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurent Savale ◽  
Alessandra Manes
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Expert Advice ◽  
Portopulmonary Hypertension ◽  
Early Screening ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial

Abstract Guidelines exist for management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but information is limited for certain patient subgroups, including adults with portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) or with PAH associated with congenital heart disease (PAH-CHD). This article discusses screening, clinical management, and prognosis in PoPH and PAH-CHD and, as such, considers the most recent clinical data and expert advice. A multidisciplinary consultation and follow-up by specialists are crucial for management of both PoPH and PAH-CHD, but each condition presents with unique challenges. Development of PoPH most commonly occurs among patients with liver cirrhosis. Initially, patients may be asymptomatic for PoPH and, if untreated, survival with PoPH is generally worse than with idiopathic PAH (IPAH), so early identification with screening is crucial. PoPH can be managed with PAH-specific pharmacological therapy, and resolution is possible in some patients with liver transplantation. With PAH-CHD, survival rates are typically higher than with IPAH but vary across the four subtypes: Eisenmenger syndrome, systemic-to-pulmonary shunts, small cardiac defects, and corrected defects. Screening is also crucial and, in patients who undergo correction of CHD, the presence of PAH should be assessed immediately after repair and throughout their long-term follow-up, with frequency of assessments determined by the patient’s characteristics at the time of correction. Early screening for PAH in patients with portal hypertension or CHD, and multidisciplinary management of PoPH or PAH-CHD are important for the best patient outcomes.

Arrhythmias in adult patients with congenital heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension

Heart ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 104 (23) ◽  
pp. 1963-1969 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maria Drakopoulou ◽  
Heba Nashat ◽  
Aleksander Kempny ◽  
Rafael Alonso-Gonzalez ◽  
Lorna Swan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
Long Term Outcome ◽  
Clinical Variables ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial

ObjectivesApproximately 5%–10% of adults with congenital heart disease (CHD) develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which affects life expectancy and quality of life. Arrhythmias are common among these patients, but their incidence and impact on outcome remains uncertain.MethodsAll adult patients with PAH associated with CHD (PAH-CHD) seen in a tertiary centre between 2007 and 2015 were followed for new-onset atrial or ventricular arrhythmia. Clinical variables associated with arrhythmia and their relation to mortality were assessed using Cox analysis.ResultsA total of 310 patients (mean age 34.9±12.3 years, 36.8% male) were enrolled. The majority had Eisenmenger syndrome (58.4%), 15.2% had a prior defect repair and a third had Down syndrome. At baseline, 14.2% had a prior history of arrhythmia, mostly supraventricular arrhythmia (86.4%). During a median follow-up of 6.1 years, 64 patients developed at least one new arrhythmic episode (incidence 3.47% per year), mostly supraventricular tachycardia or atrial fibrillation (78.1% of patients). Arrhythmia was associated with symptoms in 75.0% of cases. The type of PAH-CHD, markers of disease severity and prior arrhythmia were associated with arrhythmia during follow-up. Arrhythmia was a strong predictor of death, even after adjusting for demographic and clinical variables (HR 3.41, 95% CI 2.10 to 5.53, p<0.0001).ConclusionsArrhythmia is common in PAH-CHD and is associated with an adverse long-term outcome, even when managed in a specialist centre.

scholarly journals Use of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Therapies in Patients with a Fontan Circulation: Current Practice Across the United Kingdom

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Constantine ◽  
Konstantinos Dimopoulos ◽  
Petra Jenkins ◽  
Robert M. R. Tulloh ◽  
Robin Condliffe ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Congenital Heart Disease ◽  
Heart Disease ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Arterial Hypertension ◽  
Congenital Heart ◽  
Fontan Circulation ◽  
Adult Patients ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Pulmonary Arterial

Background The Fontan circulation is a successful operative strategy for abolishing cyanosis and chronic volume overload in patients with congenital heart disease with single ventricle physiology. “Fontan failure” is a major cause of poor quality of life and mortality in these patients. We assessed the number and clinical characteristics of adult patients with Fontan physiology receiving pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) therapies across specialist centers in the United Kingdom. Methods and Results We identified all adult patients with a Fontan‐type circulation under active follow‐up in 10 specialist congenital heart disease centers in England and Scotland between 2009 and 2019. Patients taking PAH therapies were matched to untreated patients. A survey of experts was also performed. Of 1538 patients with Fontan followed in specialist centers, only 76 (4.9%) received PAH therapies during follow‐up. The vast majority (90.8%) were treated with a phosphodiesterase‐5 inhibitor. In 33% of patients, PAH therapies were started after surgery or during hospital admission. In the matched cohort, treated patients were more likely to be significantly limited, have ascites, have a history of protein‐losing enteropathy, or receive loop diuretics ( P <0.0001 for all), also reflecting survey responses indicating that failing Fontan is an important treatment target. After a median of 12 months (11–15 months), functional class was more likely to improve in the treated group ( P =0.01), with no other changes in clinical parameters or safety issues. Conclusions PAH therapies are used in adult patients with Fontan circulation followed in specialist centers, targeting individuals with advanced disease or complications. Follow‐up suggests stabilization of the clinical status after 12 months of therapy.

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