Adults with Congenital Heart Disease

The Adults With Congenital Heart Disease Program at Riley at IU Health offers comprehensive care for people who need lifelong monitoring for heart conditions. Our multidisciplinary team can manage the unique healthcare needs that accompany congenital heart disease.

Our experienced team includes adult and pediatric cardiologists and other healthcare providers who are specially trained to diagnose, treat and manage even the most complex congenital heart defects. 

Why See an Adult Congenital Heart Specialist?

When follow-up care is ignored or neglected, adults born with congenital heart defects face a range of health risks, especially if they have unrelated healthcare delivered by providers who may not fully understand or know about a patient’s heart condition. Even the most ordinary procedure can be risky if it is not carefully coordinated.

Although many congenital heart defects are successfully repaired in childhood, people with heart conditions need to be monitored all through life. Our specialists provide lifelong care, customized for your condition. We can educate you about symptoms and guide you through many lifestyle decisions—from family planning to exercise. Staying current with a qualified specialist ensures that your total health is managed in concert with your heart condition and other changes that can affect your health.

Multidisciplinary Care for Adults With Congenital Heart Disease

Riley at IU Health, in close collaboration with Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital, serves many kinds of adults with congenital heart defects—a population that represents up to two-thirds of all such patients. Our multidisciplinary team provides:

• Corrective surgeries such as ablations, the Fontan procedure, ASD closure, pulmonary valve replacement and repairs, procedures for Tetralogy of Fallot and other heart defects
• Diagnosis and treatment for symptoms of congenital heart disease that happen for the first time well past childhood
• Advanced treatments to improve existing heart defects
• Access to clinical trials offering the newest therapies and treatments
• Coordinated care for mothers and unborn babies affected by congenital heart disease, delivered by maternal-fetal medicine specialists trained to manage and support high-risk pregnancies
• Pre-conception, genetic and birth control counseling, through our Reproductive Health, Pregnancy and Congenital Heart Disease Program and Cardiovascular Genetics Program
• Comprehensive follow-up care for heart complications that may accompany congenital heart defects, such as arrhythmias, heart failure, infection and stroke
• An easy transition for young adults who are ready for an adult-focused program
• Reproductive healthcare for adolescents who are becoming sexually mature
• Sophisticated diagnostic and imaging technology, supported by skilled professionals—both of which are necessary to plan unique heart procedures
• Interventional cardiologists and cardiothoracic surgeons who work together to deliver customized care for complex anatomies

Close collaboration between highly skilled pediatric and adult cardiologists at Riley at IU Health and IU Health Methodist Hospital gives adults with congenital heart defects access to a wide range of advanced treatments and procedures. These options are only available through a comprehensive program that combines specialized experts and resources together in one place. Our multidisciplinary team meets on a weekly basis to discuss each case and plan optimal care for each patient.

The Riley Heart Center is one of only 30+ locations in the United States certified to implant total artificial hearts and perform heart transplants. As a pediatric healthcare system that is steeped in research and innovation, Riley at IU Health provides treatments that significantly improve quality of life for adults with the most complex heart defects and heart conditions that were once untreatable.

As a world-class resource for people of all ages who have congenital heart disease, we are committed to helping patients manage their conditions and plan for optimal health. Visit the Riley Heart Center to learn more about the education, support and multidisciplinary care available at Riley at IU Health.