Imaginis - Heart Disease - Rehabilitation for Patients with Congenital Heart Defects

Advertisement

Heart Disease


	Rehabilitation for Patients with Congenital Heart Defects	Format for Printing

	If a successful corrective action is taken for a congenital heart defect, a patient may lead a normal life after recovery. In some cases, patients will need to be monitored closely throughout their lifetimes for potential complications of treatment or arising cardiac problems. Patient guidelines for those living with (or treated) for congenital heart disease: Maintain a healthy diet low in saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium Maintain an ideal weight Do not smoke Strictly limit or refrain from the use of alcohol Avoid stress Maintain healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels Undergo physician monitoring at appropriate intervals Always take prescribed medications and report side effects to a physician Report any new symptoms immediately The prognosis for congenital heart defects has improved dramatically in recent years with advances in diagnostic and therapeutic techniques. For example, in the 1960s and 1970s, the risk of death from congenital heart surgery was 30% compared to 5% today. However, individual prognosis depends on the severity of the defect and whether a method is available to treat the condition. Many patients who are treated for defects will need lifelong cardiac monitoring. Updated: August 2006 Return to Congenital Heart Defects Overview

Imaginis.com subscribes to the HONcode principles of the Health on the Net Foundation.

Copyright © 1997-2008 Imaginis Corporation. All rights reserved. Imaginis® is a registered service mark of Imaginis Corporation, a health services company. All other trademarks and copyrights are property of their respective owners. Note: Use of this online service is subject to the disclaimer and the terms and conditions contained herein. Information found within the Imaginis.com website or in other sites linked to from Imaginis.com is provided for educational purposes only and is not intended to be used as a substitute for diagnosis and treatment by a medical doctor. Imaginis does not endorse and has no responsibility for the content of any other sites listed on Imaginis.com, and provides links and references merely as a convenience to its users. Seek immediate medical attention if your condition is urgent.