Young people with congenital heart disease - Transitioning to adult care

Congenital heart disease is the most common congenital anomaly and approximately 90% of those born with congenital heart disease today are likely to survive to adulthood. The majority require life-long specialist follow-up, requiring transition to adult-oriented services. The high frequency of patients lost to follow-up and with lapses in care is daunting and suggests that current transition preparation may be inadequate. In this review we define transition and the goals of transition and describe the concept of transition readiness. We identify barriers to effective transition, the key elements of preparation, and the importance of evaluating transition.