CLINICAL HANDBOOK OF PEDIATRIC AND CONGENITAL CARDIOLOGY: Principles, Diagnosis, Imaging, Intervention, Critical Care, and Lifelong Management of Heart Disease From Fetal Life to Adulthood

Gentry A. Merrow, MD

Pediatric and congenital cardiovascular medicine encompasses a complex spectrum of conditions that begin before birth and often require lifelong specialized care. From fetal cardiac development and prenatal diagnosis to neonatal emergencies, congenital heart repair, and adult congenital heart disease follow-up, effective management requires an integrated understanding of physiology, imaging, intervention, surgery, and long-term outcomes.

Clinical Handbook of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology provides a comprehensive and clinically focused reference for understanding, diagnosing, and managing cardiovascular disorders in infants, children, adolescents, and adults with congenital heart disease. This handbook bridges foundational cardiovascular science with modern clinical practice, offering practical guidance for healthcare professionals involved in pediatric cardiac care.

Inside this comprehensive resource, readers will explore:

• The foundations of pediatric cardiovascular medicine, including cardiac development, fetal circulation, pediatric physiology, hemodynamics, and the clinical approach to suspected heart disease.

• Fetal and neonatal cardiology, including fetal echocardiography, prenatal detection of congenital heart disease, fetal arrhythmias, neonatal transition, critical congenital heart disease, and early stabilization strategies.

• Comprehensive evaluation and diagnosis, including physical examination, electrocardiography, echocardiography, cardiac MRI, CT imaging, catheterization, laboratory assessment, and genetic evaluation.

• The complete spectrum of congenital heart diseases, including septal defects, obstructive lesions, cyanotic heart disease, single ventricle physiology, Fontan circulation, and complex congenital abnormalities.

• Pediatric arrhythmias, cardiomyopathies, heart failure, acquired heart disease, pulmonary hypertension, and cardiopulmonary interactions.

• Modern treatment approaches, including catheter-based interventions, surgical repair principles, cardiac intensive care, mechanical support, and lifelong surveillance.

• Genetics, developmental outcomes, adolescent transition, family-centered care, prevention strategies, and future directions in pediatric and congenital cardiology.

Designed for pediatric cardiologists, cardiothoracic surgeons, maternal-fetal medicine specialists, intensivists, radiologists, fellows, residents, and medical students, this handbook provides a practical framework for improving diagnostic accuracy, treatment decisions, and long-term outcomes.

With its lifespan approach—from fetal development to adulthood—Clinical Handbook of Pediatric and Congenital Cardiology serves as an essential reference for clinicians committed to delivering comprehensive cardiovascular care for children and patients with congenital heart disease.