title: Mountain climbing of the grown-up patient with non-corrected congenital heart defect.
abstract: Congenital heart defects (CHD) are the cause of reduced physical performance. The presence of congenital abnormalities in the heart of grown-up patients contributes to excessive hypo-kinesia. We present endurance parameters and a personalized comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation program before an extreme mountain climbing of a 27-year-old patient with an uncorrected ventricular septal defect (VSD). A 26-year-old female patient with an uncorrected congenital VSD was admitted to the department of cardiac rehabilitation before the planned high-mountain expedition. Professional preparation and assessment of actual exercise capacity was performed before scheduled extreme climbing. We conclude that physical activity associated with a heavy load in people with uncorrected CHD who have not developed pulmonary hypertension and reverse right-to-left flow seems to be safe, while participation of grown-up patients with congenital heart disease (GUCH) in extreme mountain climbing requires special preparation, individually designed endurance training and education program, conducted by the team of professionals in specialist centers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Mikolaj Kopernik Hospital, Gdansk, Poland; Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation and Kinesiology, Gdańsk University of Physical Education and Sport, Poland.
authors.forename: Ireneusz
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Haponiuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Katarzyna
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Gierat-Haponiuk
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Dominika
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Szalewska
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Niedoszytko
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Medical University of Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Stanisław
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bakuła
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Cardiac Surgery, Mikolaj Kopernik Hospital, Gdansk, Poland.
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chojnicki
keywords: GUCH comprehensive cardiac rehabilitation (CCR-GUCH); congenital heart defects (CHD); endurance training; grown-up patients with congenital heart disease (GUCH); physical activity