title: Shall we treat congenital heart lesions, their suffering patients or also their families, and surrounding societal ambience?
abstract: Results with the treatment of congenital heart defects (CHD) have improved markedly. However these patients, in their teens and adulthood ages, suffer from psychological dysfunctions of different natures, even psychiatric diseases, that must by thought and be properly managed. Not only these dysfunctions are related to clinical history profiles, but they are clearly related to social support, with impacts on the way quality of life (QOL) is perceived. This new vision creates a window of opportunities to act, now, on the aspect of their social modelling and psychological support, to improve QOL and psychological adaptation for these patients, already living longer, in order to make them living better.
authors.affiliation: Department Cardiothoracic and Congenital Heart Surgery, Hospital de Santa Marta, Nova Medical School, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: José
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fragata
keywords: Congenital heart defects (CHD); psychiatric dysfunction; psychological adjustment (PSA); quality of life (QOL) perception; social support
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