Heart disease: Babies dying as doctors miss symptoms
Babies are dying from chronic heart disease because doctors are missing the symptoms, a new study has discovered.
Researchers looked at the history of 898 infants, aged from one to 364 days, who died from critical congenital heart disease (CCHD). None of the infants had surgery because doctors missed symptoms that would have indicated CCHD.
Doctors are being urged to carry out an evaluation for left heart obstructive CHD during the infant’s first two weeks of life.
(Source: Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine, 2008; 162: 969-974).