The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has called for urgent improvements to medical and support se...
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has called for urgent improvements to medical and support services for adults living with congenital heart disease. A new report launched by the charity, claims the number of adults with the condition is set to rise by up to 50% over the next 10 years and there are inadequate medical services in place to cope.
The reason for the sudden increase is down to more people with congenital heart disease ' an abnormality in the function or structure of the heart present from birth ' surviving into adulthood. In 1960, just one in five babies survived beyond childhood, but because of medical and surgical advances, three in five children now reach adulthood.
The BHF said there needs to be immediate action and investment to ensure heart patients can be properly cared for and treated as they grow up.
Professor John Deanfield, professor of cardiology at the BHF, said: 'The survival rate for babies with heart defects has risen dramatically over the past few decades but, without more investment, we could let these people down as they grow up.
'Many of our patients are now presenting conditions that most adult cardiologists have never experienced before. It is vital the training of new specialist doctors and nurses and more research becomes a priority.'
