The global prevalence of congenital heart disease is higher among women who live in high altitudes, according to a new study being presented at ACC Latin America 2024 in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic. However, congenital heart disease in these regions is underestimated and underdiagnosed because of poor access to health care and health systems that lack essential tools. It is crucial to implement cardiovascular public health policies to ensure these communities receive effective care, maternal detection, early intervention and improved survival rates related to congenital heart disease.
There is an underdiagnosed prevalence of congenital heart disease because not all high-altitude regions have the health resources for its evaluation, management and follow-up," Jean Pierre Eduardo Zila-Velasque, MD, lead author, medical doctor at the Red Latinoamericana de Medicina en la Altitud e Investigación (REDLAMAI) Congenital heart disease refers to an issue with the heart's structure that's present at birth and prevents the blood from flowing normally. Recent reports have shown that in Latin America and the Caribbean, congenital heart disease is 60% more prevalent than cancer and occurs in eight to 13 cases per every 1,000 births in these nations. Hypoxia is a condition where there is insufficient oxygen in the tissues to sustain bodily functions, which can also impact the development of an embryo or the process of forming organs during the embryonic period of human development, inc.