Emergency Presentation of Heart Disease

Pediatric patients with congenital and acquired heart disease may present to the emergency department (ED) with acute life-threatening decompensation. These children often present with high acuity and in shock, with cyanosis, or with respiratory distress. In this chapter we review common ED presentations of pediatric heart disease and their chronology, pathophysiology, management strategies, and common diagnostic clues/pitfalls that clinicians may face when treating these complex patients.