[Infant mortality due to heart disease in Chile 1988].

An analysis of infant's deaths caused by heart diseases in Chile during year 1988, was performed through a critical review of 5,598 death's certificates and 4,419 infant death audits. The mortality rates due to congenital cardiac defects were 177 per 100,000 liveborn (LB) and varied between 31.5 and 293.0 for 100,000 LB along the country's 26 health districts. In 69% of death's certificates and 25% of death audits, diagnoses were nonspecific regarding to the type of cardiac malformation, in 15% of deaths diagnostic orientation was incorrect and in 32% a clinical suspicion of congenital heart disease was raised by the primary physician but patients did not reach specialized treatment. One half of deaths occurred at general regional non specialized hospitals and 28% at hospitals of higher complexity. Of these late, 10% occurred after corrective or palliative surgery and 7% in patients considered to be inoperable.