[Update on pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease]. / Actualización en cardiología pediátrica y cardiopatías congénitas.

The fields of pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease have experienced considerable progress in the last few years, with advances in new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques that can be applied at all stages of life from the fetus to the adult. This article reviews scientific publications in a number of areas that appeared between August 2007 and September 2008. In developed countries, congenital heart disease is becoming increasingly prevalent in nonpediatric patients, including pregnant women. Actions aimed at preventing coronary heart disease must be started early in infancy and should involve the promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Recent developments in echocardiography include the introduction of three-dimensional echocardiography and of new techniques such as two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging, which can be used for both anatomical and functional investigations in patients with complex heart disease, including a univentricular heart. Progress has also occurred in fetal cardiology, with new data on prognosis and prognostic factors and developments in intrauterine interventions, though indications for these interventions have still to be established. Heart transplantation has become a routine procedure, supplemented in some cases by circulatory support devices. In catheter interventions, new devices have become available for the closure of atrial or ventricular septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus as well as for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. Surgery is also advancing, in some cases with hybrid techniques, particularly for the treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The article ends with a review of publications on cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and the treatment of bacterial endocarditis.

Actualización en cardiología pediátrica y cardiopatías congénitas / Update on pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease

En el campo de la cardiología pediátrica y las cardiopatías congénitas, hemos progresado en los últimos años con avances en nuevas técnicas diagnósticas y terapias aplicadas del feto al adulto. Revisamos la literatura relacionada con diversos campos desde agosto de2007 a septiembre de 2008. Las cardiopatías congénitas después de la edad pediátrica cada vez son más prevalentes en los países desarrollados, incluso en gestantes con estos trastornos. La prevención de la enfermedad coronaria debe iniciarse precozmente desde la infancia, y ha de incluir la promoción de una dieta sana y un estilo de vida saludable. Entre los avances en ecocardiografía están la aplicación de la ecocardiografía tridimensional y las nuevas técnicas como la 2D speckle tracking imagen para realizar estudios tanto anatómicos como funcionales en cardiopatías complejas como los corazones un ventriculares. La cardiología fetal ha progresado con nuevos datos y factores pronósticos y en las intervenciones intrauterinas, aunque las indicaciones deben ser consolidadas. El trasplante cardiaco se ha convertido en una terapia habitual, asociada en algunos casos a dispositivos de soporte circulatorio. En intervencionismo se dispone de nuevos dispositivos para cierre de comunicaciones interauriculares, interventriculares y ductus, así como válvulas pulmonares de implantación percutánea. La cirugía está avanzando, en algunos casos combinada con técnicas híbridas, sobre todo en el manejo de la hipoplasia de cavidades izquierdas. Finalmente, revisamos las miocardiopatías, la miocarditis y la profilaxis de la endocarditis bacteriana (AU)

The fields of pediatric cardiology and congenital heart disease have experienced considerable progress in the last few years, with advances in new diagnostic and therapeutic techniques that can be applied at all stages of life from the fetus to the adult. This article reviews scientific publications in a number of areas that appeared between August 2007 and September 2008. In developed countries, congenital heart disease is becoming increasingly prevalent in no pediatric patients, including pregnant women. Actions aimed at preventing coronary heart disease must be started early in infancy and should involve the promotion of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Recent developments in echocardiography include the introduction of three-dimensional echocardiography and of new techniques such as two-dimensional speckle tracking imaging, which can be used for both anatomical and functional investigations in patients with complex heart disease, including a univentricular heart. Progress has also occurred in fetal cardiology, with new data on prognosis and prognostic factors and developments in intrauterine interventions, though indications for these interventions have still to be established. Heart transplantation has become a routine procedure, supplemented in some cases by circulatory support devices. In catheter interventions, new devices have become available for the closure of atrial or ventricular septal defects and patent ductus arteriosus as well as for percutaneous pulmonary valve implantation. Surgery is also advancing, in some cases with hybrid techniques, particularly for the treatment of hypoplastic left heart syndrome. The article ends with are view of publications on cardiomyopathy, myocarditis and the treatment of bacterial endocarditis (AU)