Congenital heart disease is the most common birth defect in the United States. Thanks to advances in medicine and surgery, more than 90% of people born with congenital heart disease live well into adulthood. 

If you were born with a heart problem, you may have been treated when you were a child. As an adult, it's important to get regular medical care with a trusted provider. At OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute, we can help you live a healthy life and manage the long-term effects of your condition. 

We offer Oregon’s only treatment center for adults with congenital heart disease. We treat more than 40 types of heart defects, including: 

• Aorta and blood vessel conditions
• Genetic conditions affecting the heart and blood vessels
• Heart valve conditions

We also work with you to support your health goals. If you are pregnant or want to become pregnant, we provide maternal heart care with the pregnancy experts at the OHSU Center for Women’s Health. 

Learn more

• Find the list of congenital heart conditions we treat
• Learn about adult congenital heart disease treatment at OHSU
• Meet our team

Team-based care

If you have a congenital heart condition, it's important to meet with a cardiologist (heart doctor) regularly to help you deal with any health issues as soon as you notice them. 

Because there are many different congenital heart conditions, we will tailor your care to your needs. Our team includes experts in: 

• Electrophysiology
• Cardiac nursing
• Heart imaging
• Heart failure and heart transplant
• Behavioral health  

Our expertise

OHSU’s Adult Congenital Heart Disease program is accredited by the Adult Congenital Heart Association (ACHA). It is the only program in Oregon designed specifically to care for ACHD. We also offer specialized treatment for people with congenital heart conditions.

• Making the move to adult care: We work with pediatric cardiologists at OHSU Doernbecher Children’s Hospital to make sure people born with heart conditions get lifelong treatment.
• Advanced care: Our doctors and nurses are trained in the latest medications and imaging technologies, so you can get the most effective testing and treatment.
• Pregnancy and heart disease care: If you’re pregnant or want to become pregnant, we’ll help you and your baby stay healthy.  

Clinical research on adult congenital heart disease

As Oregon’s only academic health center (teaching hospital), our experts are committed to improving care for people with ACHD through our research. Our team is part of national and international research efforts.

• Dr. Craig Broberg studies people whose heart valves didn’t form normally, as well as people who were born with only one pumping chamber in their heart instead of the normal two chambers. He is a founding member of the Alliance for Adult Research in Congenital Cardiology.
• Dr. Abigail Khan studies the effects of where people live on the care they get for congenital heart disease. Her goal is to improve systems of care for everyone, no matter how far away they live from medical treatment.
• Because treatment has improved so much, people with congenital heart conditions now live much longer. Dr. Nael Aldweib studies how we can better monitor heart failure in people with ACHD as they age. For example, he is researching the effectiveness of blood tests that doctors often use to see whether treatment is working.
• Dr. Lidija McGrath studies the benefits of exercise for people with congenital heart disease.