NHS introduces new heart disease guidelines

The NHS has introduced new guidelines for people with congenital heart disease. Government estimates state that 135,000 people in the UK have a congenital heart defect, with 17,000 having conditions described as complex.

The Department of Health said that such patients should expect to lead full lives, given the right support. It added that the new guidelines would ensure that patients are treated by staff with the relevant expertise and lead to the improved cohesion of services between children and adult services.

Rosie Winterton, the health minister, remarked: “Patients need a more cohesive service that recognises that congenital heart disease is a life long condition which can affect quality of life. This guidance will help to ensure that patients receive consistent, expert and co-ordinated care from the NHS.”

“Specialists and patients have told us how important it is for patients to see an expert in grown-ups with congenital heart disease,” she concluded.

The guidelines will suggest the adoption of indicators to assess the standards of care to make sure that young people continue to receive attention when they leave the care of their paediatric cardiologists.

The Grown Up Congenital Hearts Patients Association said that many heart defects are detected through ultrasound before birth. If it looks like it may be serious, doctors can suggest an echocardiogram to find out more about the condition. The association estimates that eight in every 1000 babies is born with a congenital heart defect.

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