Eisenmenger Syndrome

Treatment

Mayo Clinic doctors with special training in heart disease (cardiologists), surgeons and other specialists work together to develop an individual treatment plan for each person who has Eisenmenger syndrome, a condition which can affect many organs in your body. Cardiologists with training in congenital heart disease (congenital cardiologists) treat you or your child.

Eisenmenger syndrome treatment is aimed at controlling your or your child's symptoms and managing your condition. Although there is no treatment that cures your condition, many treatments can help you feel better, improve your quality of life and prevent serious complications. Doctors don't recommend surgery to repair the hole in your heart once Eisenmenger syndrome has developed, and any surgery may be life-threatening.

At Mayo Clinic, treatment may include:

• Observation and monitoring. You'll be monitored through regular visits with a congenital heart disease cardiologist. A typical evaluation generally includes a thorough review of complaints and symptoms, a physical exam and various tests.
• Medications. Medications are your primary treatment option for Eisenmenger syndrome. You'll need to be monitored closely by a doctor when taking medications for any changes in blood pressure, fluid volume or pulse rate.

  Medication may help:

  • Control heart rhythm disturbances
  • Dilate (expand) the arteries in your lungs
  • Increase the strength of your heart contractions
  • Reduce your symptoms
  • Treat your heart failure symptoms such as fluid buildup in your legs, abdomen and lungs
  • Improve your exercise ability

  Medications may include:

  • Medications to expand and allow blood to move through blood vessels in the lungs (pulmonary vasodilators medications)
  • Iron replacement medications (only used if the blood iron level is low)
  • Blood-thinning medications (anticoagulants), though they are rarely used
• Heart and lung transplantation. Some people who have Eisenmenger syndrome may benefit from heart and lung transplantation or lung transplant with repair of the hole in the heart.