Adult Congenital Heart Disease
The Adult Congenital Heart Program at the University of Utah was developed in 1987 to care for the growing number of patients with congenital heart problems who, due to advancements in medical treatment, were reaching adulthood. This program was the first clinic of its kind in the intermountain region.
Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic
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The Adult Congenital Heart Clinic (ACHC) is held every Wednesday in the Cardiovascular Center Phone: 801-585-7676 Toll Free: 800-846-9145 Meet Our Clinic Physicians |
Adult congenital heart disease patients receive comprehensive cardiac care and medical management by physicians and staff who are specifically trained to diagnose and treat congenital heart disease. Care of pregnant congenital heart patients and family planning counseling are also available. Working closely with the University of Utah School of Medicine's Pediatric Cardiology Division at Primary Children's Medical Center, our providers carry clinical privileges at both facilities. Young patients are assisted in their transition from pediatric to adult care because of this unique partnership. Working collaboratively with referring physicians and other specialties available at the University of Utah Health Care system, the adult congenital heart patient receives comprehensive medical management which includes:
- Physicians and staff trained to diagnose and treat patients with congenital heart disease
- Availability of diagnostic testing
Echocardiography
Interventional cath lab
Exercise oxygen consumption testing
Cardiac MRI
Stress tests
CT Angiography - EP, Surgical transplant services
- Family counseling
- Access to affiliated consultants in areas such as OB-GYN, genetic counseling, etc.
- Therapeutic phlebotomy
- Coumadin therapy
We treat adult patients with the following congenital defects:
- Transposition of the Great Arteries
- Tetralogy of Fallot
- Bicuspid Aortic Valve
- Septal Defects
- Ebstein Anomaly
- Anomalies of the Aortic Arch
- Pregnant women with heart disease of any kind which potentially could complicate her pregnancy
- Inherited disorders with cardiac complications such as:
Marfan's Syndrome
Muscular and Myotonic Dystrophies
Meet Our Congenital Heart Disease Physicians
Larry Green, M.D. is board certified in Adult Cardiology and spent part of his fellowship training in pediatric cardiology. Dr. Green and Dr. L. George Veasy founded the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Center at the University of Utah Medical Center in 1987. Since that time, Dr. Green has been continuously involved in the clinical care of adults with congenital heart disease, including coordination of care across all disciplines of medical care that such patients may require. These areas may include obstetrics, cardiovascular surgery, interventional cardiology, arrhythmias and cardiac pacemakers, cardiac transplants, and hematologic or metabolic abnormalities.
Kevin Whitehead, M.D. is board certified in both adult cardiology and echocardiography. He has been affiliated with the clinic since 2000. Dr. Whitehead has specialty training in congenital heart disease and interest in the management of cardiac disorders in pregnancy. Dr. Whitehead also has a strong basic science research interest, studying the basic mechanisms of heart and blood vessel formation, and was nationally recognized by receiving the prestigious Pfizer postdoctoral fellowship in Cardiovascular Medicine in 2000.
Angela Yetman, M.D., is the Director of the Adult Congenital Cardiology Clinic and Director of the Marfan Subspeciality Cardiology Clinic. Dr. Yetman is a board certified pediatric cardiologist with a specialty interest in the Cardiovascular aspects of Marfan syndrome and adult congenital heart disease. She comes to us from The Children's Hospital in Denver, Colorado where she served as the Director of the Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic as well as the Marfan Adult & Pediatric Subspecialty Clinic.
Sid Biggs, P.A.-C, Nancy Veit, N.P., and Clinic Coordinators Juli Jerman, R.N., and Mava Day, R.N., complete the ACHD team.
The Good News About Congenital Hearts
According to the American Heart Association, at least 35 types of cardiovascular defects are recognized, with many additional anatomic variations. Medical advancements continue to improve the treatments for people born with cardiovascular defects. Because of these advancements, over 1,000,000 Americans born with cardiovascular defects are alive today.
People at the Heart of the Matter: Meet Alysa and hear her story...
Web Links for More Information:
Adult Congenital Heart Association (www.achaheart.org)
Canadian Adult Congenital Heart Network (http://www.cachnet.org/)
