[Congenital heart defects in adults worldwide and in the Czech Republic].

Congenital heart disease of adults is a new area of cardiology with specific diagnostic, therapeutic, social and economic problems of these patients. The First Medical Clinic of the Second Medical Faculty, Charles University assembled so far data on more than 1200 adult patients with congenital heart disease from different districts in Bohemia and Moravia. Atrial septal defects are recorded most frequently (25.7%), followed by ventricular septal defects (25.0%) and coarctation of the aorta (12.4%). 50.3% of the patients were treated by surgery, most frequently patients with a patent ductus arteriosus--in 83.8%, with coarctation of the aorta (82.8%) and an atrial septal defect (60.5%). The authors review reasons why for the care of these patients in other countries specialized centres developed and the foundation of such a centre in the Czech Republic is discussed.