Our sponsors and partner organisations
Background
What is the science behind the GO-CHD study?
Congenital heart disease is a term which means any heart abnormality present from birth. About 4600 babies are born each year in the UK (0.8%) with congenital heart disease making it the most common birth defect. There are presently 150,000 people over the age of 16 years living with congenital heart disease in the UK (0.3% of adult population). 11,500 of these adults have more complicated problems which require lifelong care.
The number of adults with congenital heart disease is increasing at an estimated rate of 5% per year. This is due to increased survival because of improvements in heart surgery and clinical care. Consequently congenital heart disease creates a global disease burden that is comparable to diabetes, asthma and rheumatoid arthritis (WHO, 2003). Despite this, there is very little research centered on congenital heart disease in the UK.
Working together we can understand more about how and why congenital heart disease occurs which will lead to improvements in the treatment and management of congenital heart disease for patients in the future. This is the focus of these studies.
 |
| Normal heart © Wellcome images |
 |
| Complex heart problems with heart and liver on the wrong side © Wellcome images |
