Adult Congenital Heart Clinic

At Children’s Heart Centre, health care professionals work in partnership with adolescents and their families to ensure a smooth transition to adult-based health care. Youth and young adults with congenital heart disease who require ongoing cardiac follow-up are referred to the Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic at St Paul’s Hospital in Vancouver.

The Pacific Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic, together with 14 other regional centres across Canada, is a member of the Canadian Adult Cardiac Network founded in 1991. The clinic provides coordinated and continuing care for adult patients with congenital heart disease in BC and the Yukon. All centres are linked by a computerized national database. The network draws on the knowledge and expertise of congenital heart disease professionals across Canada, creating a continually updated information resource. It offers unprecedented opportunities for improved patient care, long-term follow-up and research.

Due to the enormous variation in the way each congenital cardiac abnormality is presented and expressed, there is a great advantage for each patient to receive the pooled knowledge and experience of a nationwide panel of experts. The consultants involved are aware of the most recent research and scientific advances that may affect these patients.

Patients 18 or older with congenital heart disease may be referred to the PACH Clinic for assessment. These patients include individuals newly diagnosed with congenital heart disease, those who have never had surgery, those with previous palliative procedures that will require further surgery, and those who have had complete repair of their cardiac disease, but that present with new problems or simply require ongoing follow-up.

The clinic’s multidisciplinary team of physicians, nurses, a psychologist and a social worker provide specialized care, patient education and counseling about lifestyle, activity recommendations, contraception, pregnancy and delivery, psychosocial and financial issues, and hereditary and genetic implications.

For more information, see referral information for professionals.

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