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End-of-Life Care in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease

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End-of-Life Care in Cardiovascular Disease

Abstract

Marked advances in the diagnosis and treatment of congenital heart disease (CHD) and other pediatric-onset cardiac conditions have significantly increased survival, such that the majority of patients are now expected to reach adulthood. However, childhood mortality will not completely disappear and there continues to be a subgroup of patients with complex heart disease who will die in childhood. In addition, CHD, particularly of moderate to great complexity, remains a chronic medical condition associated with premature mortality in adulthood. Patients with congenital and pediatric heart disease have end-of-life (EOL) care considerations unique from those of adult patients dying of acquired heart disease. Though EOL considerations certainly vary between neonates, children and adolescents, and adults, an emphasis on communication and interdisciplinary care is recommended in order to improve advance care planning and EOL care for this deserving group of patients.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Toronto Congenital Cardiac Centre for Adults, Peter Munk Cardiac Centre, University Health Network, 585 University Ave, 5-NU-523, Toronto, ON, M5G 2N2, Canada

    Adrienne H. Kovacs PhD, CPsych

  2. Heart Transplant Program, Division of Cardiology, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada

    Anne I. Dipchand MD

  3. Adult Congenital Cardiology Program, Cardiology Department, University Hospital Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland

    Matthias Greutmann MD

  4. Cardiology Department, University Hospital Basel, Basel, Switzerland

    Daniel Tobler MD

Authors
  1. Adrienne H. Kovacs PhD, CPsych
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  2. Anne I. Dipchand MD
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  3. Matthias Greutmann MD
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  4. Daniel Tobler MD
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Adrienne H. Kovacs PhD, CPsych .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Portland VA Medical Center,, Patient-Centered Education and Research, Salt Lake City, UT, USA, Portland, Oregon, USA

    Sarah J. Goodlin

  2. Washington University School of Medicine, St Louis, Missouri, USA

    Michael W. Rich

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Kovacs, A.H., Dipchand, A.I., Greutmann, M., Tobler, D. (2015). End-of-Life Care in Pediatric and Congenital Heart Disease. In: Goodlin, S., Rich, M. (eds) End-of-Life Care in Cardiovascular Disease. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6521-7_9

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