Stanford Pediatric Grand Rounds: Microvascular Dysfunction in Congenital Heart Disease

The Harvey J. Cohen, MD, PhD, Endowed Lectureship in Pediatrics
Microvascular Dysfunction in Congenital Heart Disease - A Novel Therapeutic Target
PRESENTER
Sushma Reddy, MD
Associate Professor, Pediatric Cardiology, Stanford School of Medicine
SESSION DESCRIPTION
Chronic systemic inflammation and oxidative stress affect microvascular function thereby influencing cardiovascular health in many pediatric chronic diseases such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, chronic kidney disease, hyperlipidemia, and obstructive sleep apnea. Emerging data suggests microvascular dysfunction in cerebrovascular disease and atherosclerosis seen in adults may have their origin during childhood. The impact of pediatric heart failure and congenital heart disease, with its accompanying cyanosis and vascular shear stress due to high flow and/or high pressure, on vascular function, both coronary and systemic is not known and whether these insults during childhood have long term consequences leading to heightened cardiovascular risk factors in the young adult with congenital heart disease is also not known. Perhaps the most important priority in furthering our understanding of microvascular dysfunction in pediatric heart disease is to identify the population at greatest risk, identify potential mechanisms and develop novel therapies.