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Cardiac Emergencies in the Newborn

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Neonatology

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Abstract

There are a number of different cardiac emergencies that can face the neonatologist. Many of these relate to the initial presentation of congenital cardiac lesions (incidence 6–13 per 1,000 live births) (Reller et al. (2008) J Pediatr 153:807–813; Ishikawa T, Iwashima S, Ohishi A, et al. (2011) Acta Paediatr (Oslo, Norway: 1992) 100:e55–60; Ferencz et al. (1985) Am J Epidemiol 121:31–36). Rarer causes also include cardiac arrhythmias (1 in 25,000 for supraventricular tachycardia) (Dubin AM (2000) NeoReviews 1:e146–e151) and cardiomyopathies (5–9 per 100,000 infants) (Nugent et al. (2003) N Engl J Med 348:1639–1646; Lipshultz et al. (2003) N Engl J Med 348:1647–1655) which can lead to hemodynamic decompensation in the neonate. Furthermore, iatrogenic injuries caused by interventions can lead to emergencies such as cardiac tamponade.

These particular pathologies can present acutely and require prompt treatment by the attending physician. For the purposes of this chapter, the pathologies are split into four common presentations with the aim of providing a practical approach to cardiac emergencies in newborn.

  • Shock/circulatory failure

  • Cyanosis

  • Acute heart failure

  • Arrhythmias

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Academic Department of Paediatrics, Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital, Brighton, UK

    Liam Mahoney, Hector Rojas-Anaya & Heike Rabe

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  1. Liam Mahoney
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  2. Hector Rojas-Anaya
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  3. Heike Rabe
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Correspondence to Heike Rabe .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Siena, Italy

    Giuseppe Buonocore

  2. Medicina della Riproduzione, Università di Siena Dipto. Pediatria, Ostetricia e, Siena, Italy

    Rodolfo Bracci

  3. Liverpool Women's Hospital Neonatal Unit, Liverpool, United Kingdom

    Michael Weindling

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Mahoney, L., Rojas-Anaya, H., Rabe, H. (2018). Cardiac Emergencies in the Newborn. In: Buonocore, G., Bracci, R., Weindling, M. (eds) Neonatology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18159-2_216-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18159-2_216-2

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  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-18159-2

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Chapter history

  1. Latest

    Cardiac Emergencies in the Newborn
    Published:
    08 February 2018

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18159-2_216-2

  2. Original

    Cardiac Emergencies in the Newborn
    Published:
    08 June 2016

    DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-18159-2_216-1

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