Malnutrition in Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease accounts for nearly twenty-eight percent of all the major congenital malformations, posing a significant global health problem. Prevalence of both cyanotic and acyanotic varies from 0.7 to 5.3/1000 patients in community-based study while hospital-based study statistics range between 3.9 and 26.4/1000 live births. The increase in birth rate and the requirement of surgical and non-surgical intervention makes it a high and challenging need task for emerging nations like India, where the framework isn't created at the root level. In this population a high prevalence of malnutrition is seen especially in infants. In the era of high survival rates, nutrition provides opportunity for development, growth optimization and a better standard of living. The morbidity & mortality associated malnutrition in infant with congenital heart disease can be reduced by early diagnosis / optimum treatment. Approximately half of the pediatric age population suffering from Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) are found to be malnourished where the most of the affected factor is found to be weight worse than height. The various contributory factors for malnutrition in CHD patients are cyanosis, heart defects, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, anemia, and delayed corrective surgery. Early and Timely diagnosis is crucial as most congenital heart disorders can be corrected if apt intervention is provided, leading to better prognosis. Decreased caloric requirement , reduction in prevalence of respiratory tract infection, and better absorption will lead to early normalization of their malnourishment. The major studies done in the recent past have focused on the mechanism of failure of growth in patients suffering from congenital heart malformation or on the modalities for improvement of growth of children with congenital heart disease. The severity and frequency of malnutrition associated with congenital heart diseases has not been focused on in the past decades.