The Infant With Undiagnosed Cardiac Disease in the Emergency Department

Infants who present to the emergency department with previously undiagnosed cardiac disease will often present with nonspecific complaints. A thorough physical exam and appropriate testing will typically lead to the correct diagnosis and treatment. These infants can be divided into 3 groups: those with structural congenital heart disease; those with an arrhythmia; and those with acquired cardiac disease such as myocarditis. This article will provide an overview to the identification of infants with undiagnosed cardiac disease.

Keywords: cyanotic congenital heart disease, anomalous coronary arteries, myocarditis, patent ductus arteriosus, supraventricular tachycardia