I Have Congenital Heart Disease And Had Major Surgery Before I Was Five Years Old. Will I Have Rhythm Problems?

— -- Question: I have congenital heart disease and had major surgery before I was five years old. Am I likely to get heart rhythm problems now that I am an adult?

Answer: If you're an adult who had congenital heart disease surgery as an infant or child, it's very important to have regular follow up, and the reason is that even after surgical repair there is an increased risk for arrhythmias that may happen at any point in adolescence and adulthood. So it's very important to seek help from a specialist, particularly somebody who has expertise in adult congenital heart disease, and they'll be able to point you in the proper direction in terms of future testing and any treatment to help prevent a serious or life-threatening arrhythmia.