Follow-Up Care

The Cardiology Outpatient Specialty Center thoroughly manages a child’s heart defect or condition with regular follow-up visits, additional diagnostic testing and preventative care to ensure a healthy lifestyle.

If a child has a significant procedure or surgery that required hospitalization, the pediatric cardiology team manages the child’s condition during hospitalization and immediately into the outpatient setting. An appointment is usually set up within a week after a child has been discharged to start the follow-up care as quickly as possible. During this follow-up visit the patient will:

• Have their procedure/surgical incision area checked
• Have a chest X-ray or echocardiogram completed
• Have blood work drawn
• See additional members of the heart care team, such as the dietician or occupational therapist to get back to daily, living activities.

Follow-up care could last just a few months or continue indefinitely, because a congenital defect needs constant monitoring and further procedures or surgery may still be needed.

Preventative Care

Promoting preventative heart care and teaching children and their families about healthy lifestyles, is essential to the health of children with both acquired and congenital heart conditions. The Cardiology Center at Miller Children’s identifies and medically manages cholesterol and blood pressure problems early in life, to help prevent heart attack or stroke later.

The pediatric cardiology care team develops a comprehensive care plan after a health evaluation, based on the causes for a child to have abnormal cholesterol or blood pressure. The care plan typically includes a weight-loss component, heart healthy eating and exercise. Follow-up appointments can include routine monitoring of cholesterol levels, triglycerides and blood pressure.