Eisenmenger's syndrome

Eisenmenger's syndrome (or Eisenmenger's reaction or tardive cyanosis) is defined as the process in which a left-to-right shunt caused by a congenital heart defect causes increased flow through the pulmonary vasculature, causing pulmonary hypertension, which in turn, causes increased pressures in the right side of the heart and reversal of the shunt into a right-to-left shunt. In adults, the most common causes of cyanotic congenital heart disease are Eisenmenger syndrome and tetralogy of Fallot. Eisenmenger's syndrome specifically refers to the combination of systemic-to-pulmonary communication, pulmonary vascular disease and cyanosis. It can cause serious complications in pregnancy, though successful delivery has been...