RT Book, Section A1 Patton, Douglas A1 Stern, Eric William A2 Stone, C. Keith A2 Humphries, Roger L. A2 Drigalla, Dorian A2 Stephan, Maria SR Print(0) ID 1106024085 T1 Cardiac Emergencies T2 CURRENT Diagnosis & Treatment: Pediatric Emergency Medicine YR 2014 FD 2014 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9780071799454 LK accessemergencymedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1106024085 RD 2024/10/03 AB Cardiac emergencies in children are relatively common with congenital heart defects affecting approximately 1% of live births, not accounting for bicuspid aortic valve, which affects approximately 1% of children. In addition, children with structurally normal hearts may have electrophysiologic disturbances that manifest throughout childhood into adulthood, and may acquire heart diseases such as rheumatic fever and myocarditis. Because early in infancy the initial presentation of cardiac disease may be nonspecific, a wide differential should be entertained, including a concern for neonatal sepsis. A family history of sudden cardiac death and congenital heart disease should be obtained. Careful attention to the history and physical examination is essential for the clinician to recognize patterns of illness that may suggest a cardiac etiology for the patient’s presentation.