Sofia Grinenco
Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Argentina
Title: Epidemiology of congenital heart defects
Biography
Biography: Sofia Grinenco
Abstract
Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the most common type of birth defect, affecting approximately 8 out of 1,000 newborns. Yet there is variability in the epidemiology of congenital heart defects throughout the world, and the reported incidence and prevalence have been changing in recent decades. The developments of prenatal diagnosis; fetal therapy and termination of pregnancy and maybe changes in environmental factors too; have modified the natural history of congenital heart defects. The improvements in cardiovascular surgery and treatment techniques by catheterization have improved survival and also the quality of life of adolescents and adults with congenital heart defects. Real incidence and prevalence are, in fact, unknown in many parts of the world. There has been identification of genes in high-risk families and experimental models. Environmental risk factors and protective factors still need to be identified; in order to ultimately achieve effective primary prevention. A review on reported data is presented focusing on crucial epidemiological questions, regarding outcomes, causation and risk assessment.