title: Lifestyle Modification for the Prevention of Morbidity and Mortality in Adult Congenital Heart Disease.
abstract: Patients with adult congenital heart disease are now living longer due to the advancements in medicine. As such, these patients are now experiencing morbidities that are commonly seen in the general population such as myocardial infarction, heart failure, and arrhythmias. Often times these problems can be attributed to the underlying adult congenital heart disease; however, a patient making poor lifestyle choices only compounds their risk for these life-threatening comorbidities. The aim of this article is to propose recommendations for health care providers to follow with this specific patient population. These recommendations encompass the importance of proper caloric intake, methods of weight loss (including behavioral therapy, drugs, and surgeries), practical recommendations for physical activity, and the implications of substance abuse. Being proactive and addressing important lifestyle choices in this population can reduce comorbidities and, therefore, medical cost.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, La, USA.
authors.forename: Todd M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Rosenthal
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Florida, Gainesville, Fla, USA.
authors.forename: Steven T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Leung
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
authors.forename: Raza
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmad
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, La, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, La, USA.|The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, La, USA.
authors.forename: Carl J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Lavie
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Tex, USA.|Department of Pediatric Cardiology, Texas Children's Hospital, Houston, Tex, USA.
authors.forename: Douglas S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Moodie
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Ochsner Medical Center, New Orleans, La, USA.|The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Ochsner Clinical School, New Orleans, La, USA.
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Shah
mesh_terms: D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009017:Morbidity / Q000639:trends; D012307:Risk Factors; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D015996:Survival Rate / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology
keywords: Congenital Heart Disease; Exercise; Obesity