Prevalence and demographic profile of patients with adult congenital cardiac disease in the state of Uttrakhand – A recently created North Indian state

Abstract

Background: The current burden of adult congenital cardiac disease is on the rise. Although there have been advances in their management and patient care, there is still dearth of establishing clinical preventive strategies and risk stratification in these patients. Aims and Objectives: The primary objective was to study the prevalence and pattern of adult congenital cardiac disease presenting to a tertiary care center in the state of Uttarakhand, a predominantly hilly state with sparse health-care facilities. The secondary objective was to assess the demographic, metabolic parameters and risk factors of patients with adult congenital cardiac disease. Materials and Methods: All adult patients of >16 years of age presenting at outpatient and inpatient department of internal medicine over a period of 5 years from July 2008 to June 2013 were thoroughly examined. The suspected patients of congenital cardiac disease were screened using electrocardiogram (ECG), echocardiography, and chest X-ray. Detailed demographic and metabolic parameters were compiled of each patient suffering from adult congenital cardiac disease. Psychiatric assessment of each patient was done to rule out generalized anxiety disorders. Results: A total of 2,194,000 participants attended Medicine Department over a period of 5 years from July 2008 to June 2013. Two hundred and forty patients were diagnosed to have of adult congenital cardiac disease, of these 98 (40.8%) were males and 142 (59.1%) were females. The most common defect was atrial septal defect seen in 97 (40.4%) patients of adult congenital cardiac disease. Metabolic syndrome was more common in patients with complex adult congenital cardiac disease. Generalized anxiety disorders were found to be significantly associated with these patients. Conclusions: There are sparse data available on the prevalence of adult congenital cardiac disease, especially from the state of Uttarakhand. Such a study would be useful in formulating clinical services for early diagnosis as well as in assessing risk factors for the prevention for morbidity and mortality in these patients. This study reiterates the fact that early screening and detection of congenital cardiac disease in these patients can help in planning early medical and surgical correction of the disease.

Keywords

• Adult congenital cardiac disease
• atrial septal defect
• generalized anxiety disorders