EISENMENGER SYNDROME

Course overview

EISENMENGER SYNDROME (ES) IS A CONSTELLATION OF SYMPTOMS THAT ARISE FROM A CONGENITAL HEART DEFECT AND RESULT IN LARGE ANATOMIC SHUNTS. DUE TO ANATOMIC VARIATIONS PRESENT AT BIRTH, HEMODYNAMIC FORCES INITIALLY RESULT IN A LEFT-RIGHT SHUNT, WHICH DEVELOPS INTO SEVERE PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION (PAH) AND ELEVATED VASCULAR RESISTANCE. ULTIMATELY, DUE TO INCREASED PULMONARY VASCULAR RESISTANCE, THE LEFT-TO-RIGHT SHUNT WILL BECOME A RIGHT-TO-LEFT SHUNT, RESULTING IN SIGNIFICANT HYPOXEMIA AND CYANOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY A DISCUSSION OF THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF EISENMENGER SYNDROME AND FURTHER DEFINES THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.