Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program

At NYU Langone’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease Program, our expert team provides specialized care for people living with congenital heart conditions, which are defects that exist from birth that affect the structure and function of the heart. Our goal is to individualize care for patients and their families to promote lifelong health and empower them to live their lives to the fullest.

As the first program in New York State to be nationally accredited as an Adult Congenital Heart Disease Comprehensive Care Center, we are widely recognized for our commitment and dedication to our patients and our success in providing the highest quality of care to all people with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD).

We care for people with all forms of ACHD, whether they were diagnosed in infancy, childhood, or adulthood. Our team partners with experts in the Pediatric Congenital Heart Program to help people transition to adult treatment. This collaboration allows us to determine the most appropriate treatment path for each person, based on their individual medical history and diagnosis.

Expertise in Adult Congenital Heart Disease Treatment

We help our patients understand congenital heart disease and its impact on their future cardiac health. There are many types of congenital heart disease, but they all result from defects in the way the heart developed before birth. These abnormalities, which prevent blood from flowing normally through the heart, include atrial and ventricular septal defects, patent ductus arteriosus, valve regurgitation or stenosis, tetralogy of Fallot, coarctation of the aorta, Ebstein anomaly, anomalous coronary arteries, anomalous pulmonary veins, transposition of the great arteries, Fontan circulation, and Eisenmenger syndrome.

Congenital heart disease can also lead to secondary conditions, including valve disease, arrhythmias, heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, and liver disease. For people who need procedures to improve or correct previous interventions, or surgery to treat new complications, we coordinate with NYU Langone’s congenital cardiothoracic surgeons.

Treatments for these conditions include medications that maintain heart rhythm and manage heart failure, catheter-based treatments to repair valves and correct abnormal heart rhythm, implanted devices such as pacemakers and defibrillators, and surgery to repair defects in the heart and its vessels. When these treatments are no longer enough to maintain healthy cardiac function, we work with the heart transplantation team at NYU Langone Transplant Institute to prepare you for a successful transplant and recovery.

Maintaining Heart Health

We encourage anyone treated for heart disease in childhood to schedule a visit with our adult congenital cardiologists. Even if it’s been years since you had surgery and have no current symptoms, you benefit from regular monitoring to prevent future complications.

Pregnancy and Congenital Heart Disease

People with congenital heart disease should see an adult congenital cardiologist when considering pregnancy or as soon as pregnancy is confirmed. Pregnancy can present additional risks for those with a congenital heart defect. We partner with experts in maternal–fetal medicine to provide medical guidance and treatment before, during, and after pregnancy.

Transitioning to Adult Care

Many of our patients come to us through NYU Langone’s Congenital Heart Transition Program, where we help teenagers move to adult care. We understand that you have a long and personal relationship with your pediatric cardiology team, and we work closely with them to understand your treatment plan and consult on future treatment. We also foster the same long-term relationships with our patients, getting to know you personally and providing care that is aligned with your health goals and future plans.

Support Programs and Services

We know our patients do best when they feel they are part of a community and can benefit from shared experiences. We often connect new patients with established ones for peer mentoring, and also offer support groups, educational seminars, and psychological support.

Our nurse practitioners, nurses, and social workers are specially trained to understand the needs of adults with congenital heart disease, and they are key members of every patient’s care team.

Contact Us

We see patients at multiple locations in Manhattan and Brooklyn and on Long Island. To make an appointment, please call 646-501-0647 or email achdprogram@nyulangone.org. If you would like to be seen urgently or learn more about our services, please request that one of our nurse practitioners call you to arrange an appointment as soon as possible.

Our team is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, to respond to any questions or concerns you may have. We also ensure that you are seen by one of our cardiologists within 24 hours of any hospital admission.