The physicians of PCA initiated our commitment to community-based care in 1976. During 2000, PCA physicians provided consultation or follow-up care to 1,907 patients during 167 outreach clinics in 11 different New Mexico communities outside Albuquerque. Additionally, PCA has offices in Santa Fe and Las Cruces and 'satellite' offices in Clovis, Farmington and Roswell. The system is ideal for use in hospital settings to rapidly assess LV function and cardiac anatomy in infants with suspected congenital heart disease. When asked to provide neonatal cardiac consultations in hospitals around town, our physicians can now provide, if necessary, immediate echo confirmation of cardiac structure and function, thereby alleviating the anxiety associated with delays in obtaining echo studies.
Symptoms range from relatively benign syncope to seizures and sudden death.
Multiple-cause mortality data were compiled by the National Center for Health Statistics of the CDC from all death certificates filed in the United States. In 1995 to 1997, heart defects contributed to 5822 deaths per year. Age at death increased for most heart defects. Although mortality from heart defects is declining in the United States, it remains a major cause of death in infancy and childhood. Since 1994, NM's data equal or surpass national averages in most years.