Vanderbilt Heart Signature Program

Due to medical and surgical advances over the last 50 years, over 85% of people born with congenital heart disease now can expect to reach an adult age. As adults, these people have special problems that require care from healthcare providers with special expertise in congenital heart disease. The Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart Program is dedicated to providing the expert care necessary for these adults to have the highest quality of life.

Services and treatment
The Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart Program provides diagnostic tests and recommendations regarding medical treatment and interventions (both catheter-based and surgical), non-cardiac surgery, pregnancy, and exercise. Adults in this program have access to experienced congenital cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgerons, therapeutic interventional cardiac catheterization, electrophysiology procedures, non-invasive diagnostic imaging, rehabilitation services, and genetic and nutritional counseling. In addition, Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart physicians collaborate with each patient's primary physician and/or cardiologist.

Research opportunities
There are many opportunities for clinical research within the Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart Program. Our physicians have developed a unique database for organizing patients and their clinical studies to facilitate clinical research. This research, in turn, improves patient care. Additionally, our program is participating in a national multi-center effort to improve the research commitment to adult congenital disease.

Health providers
Vanderbilt Heart and the Division of Pediatric Cardiology are renowned centers of excellence for medical and surgical management of all forms of heart disease. This expertise in both childhood and adult cardiology enables us to offer a comprehensive adult congenital heart program and lead the field in care, research and education. We are staffed by a highly specialized team of adult cardiovascular specialists, pediatric cardiologists, electrophysiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, nurses and administrative support. All of these team members are focused on the unique needs of adults with congenital heart disease.

Providers:

Benjamin F. Byrd, III, MD, Director
Larry W. Markham, MD, Co-Director

Appointments:
For questions, including patient referral or appointment information, please call Vanderbilt Heart call center at 615-322-2318 and ask for the Vanderbilt Adult Congenital Heart Program.