Practical stepwise approach to rhythm disturbances in congenital heart diseases

Patients with congenital heart diseases (CHD) are confronted with early- and late-onset complications, such as conduction disorders, arrhythmias, myocardial dysfunction, altered coronary flow, and ischemia, throughout their lifetime despite successful hemodynamic and/or anatomical correction. Rhythm disturbance is a well-known and increasingly frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in patients with CHD. Predisposing factors to rhythm disturbances include underlying cardiac defects, hemodynamic changes as part of the natural history, surgical repair and related scarring, and residual hemodynamic abnormalities. Acquired factors such as aging, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, and others may also contribute to arrhythmogenesis in CHD. The first step in evaluating arrhythmias in CHD is to understand the complex anatomy and to find predisposing factors and hemodynamic abnormalities. A practical stepwise approach can lead to diagnosis and prompt appropriate interventions. Electrophysiological assessment and management should be done with integrated care of the underlying heart defects and hemodynamic abnormalities. Catheter ablation and arrhythmia surgery have been increasingly applied, showing increasing success rates with technological advancement despite complicated arrhythmia circuits in complex anatomy and the difficulty of access. Correction of residual hemodynamic abnormalities may be critical in the treatment of arrhythmia in patients with CHD.