Vaskulárna medicína 2/2010

Systemic and pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult patients with congenital heart diseases

Systemic and pulmonary arterial hypertension in adult patients with congenital heart disease is not rare. It could be essential (primary) or secondary, when the cause of hypertension is known. There is no study that would show the higher incidence of systemic arterial hypertension in group of patients with congenital heart disease comparing to general population. As well as in normal adult population, the prevalence of arterial hypertension is rising with the age of patients. The major cause of secondary arterial hypertension in patients with congenital heart disease is coartation of aorta. In literature exists some case reports describing patients with cyanotic congenital heart diseases associated with pheochromocytoma. Pulmonary arterial hypertension, on contrary, is associated with congenital heart disease much more often, than in other population. Patients with congenital heart disease and systemic arterial hypertension or pulmonary arterial hypertension need adequate therapy and follow-up for the whole life.

Keywords: congenital heart diseases in adults, systemic arterial hypertension, aortic coarctation, pulmonary arterial hypertension