Although the target audience is parents of children with congenital heart disease, a worthwhile read in that it includes suggestions for helping adult children plan their own families given the need for continued vigilance about CHD.

A terrific resource... Drawn from dozens of patient and caregiver interviews, the book is filled with specific exercises and insights to make the open-heart experience easier on the patient and loved ones. - Amy Verstappen, President, ACHA

This book may be of interest, although it is written for the parents of children with heart defects. Neill's book is perhaps the best-known of the few that focus on congenital heart disease and that are written for the general reading public.

This book lists an extensive selection of information resources, from on-line services to pamphlets, books, and periodicals. Although published in the United States, it does not neglect mentioning books and journals from Canadian institutions. It is probably available at your local library, and it is certainly worth a look.

Guest edited by Gary Webb, MD, of the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Among others, it features the chapter, "Adult Congenital Heart Disease: the Patient's Perspective," written by Amy Verstappen, President of the ACHA; and Disty Pearson, PA-C, of Harvard University's Adult Congenital Heart Service.

The authors, in one of the most comprehensive looks taken at cardiovascular health, leave no stone unturned in their quest to educate the public in this user-friendly, browsable volume. It is written at a fairly high educational level but incorporates medical terms with their definitions in such a way that it is very readable, both in format and content. Full text available online.