Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease is a condition in which the heart’s structure is affected on early developmental problem, typically at birth. Sometimes this condition might not cause problems or complications. However, some other type of conditions affect

• the heart walls, the natural walls may not develop as they should be
• the heart valves: may close up or leak. This interferes with the heart’s ability to pump blood properly, causing blood to back up into the heart or to build up in places where it should not be.
• the blood vessels: may not function correctly.

Follow up with your doctor to determine how often you need a checkup.

Types of Congenital Heart Conditions:

• Atrial septal defect (ASD)
• Atrioventricular canal defect
• Bicuspid aortic valve
• Coarctation of the aorta
• Congenital heart defects in children
• Congenital mitral valve anomalies
• Double-outlet right ventricle
• Ebstein anomaly
• Eisenmenger syndrome
• Hypoplastic left heart syndrome
• Long QT syndrome
• Partial anomalous pulmonary venous return
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)
• Patent foramen ovale
• Pulmonary atresia
• Pulmonary atresia with intact ventricular septum
• Pulmonary atresia with ventricular septum defect
• Pulmonary valve stenosis
• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Total anomalous pulmonary venous return
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Tricuspid atresia
• Truncus arteriosus
• Vascular rings
• Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
• Wolff-Parkinson-White (WPW) syndrome

These conditions can cause severe, life-threatening symptoms.

Some statistics show that there are currently 1 million adults and 1 million children in the United States living with congenital heart defects. Treatments and care have improved drastically over the past few decades, so nearly all children with heart defects survive into adulthood. Some need continuous care all their lives. However, many are able to have an active and productive lives despite their condition.

Symptoms
For some people, signs or symptoms appear later in life. And symptoms can return years after you have had treatment for a heart condition.

Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults:

• Arrhythmias
• Cyanosis (A bluish tint to the skin, lips and fingernails (cyanosis)
• Shortness of breath
• Tiring quickly upon exertion
• Swelling of body tissue or organs (edema)

When to see a doctor
If you are having chest pain, shortness of breath, have signs or symptoms of congenital heart conditions or were treated for a congenital heart defect as a child, seek medical attention.

What causes Congenital Heart Conditions?

Congetital Heart Conditions causes are unknown and some of them can be inherited, include and no limettted to:

• May run in families.
• Certain drugs prenscribed during pregnancy puts a child at a higher risk for a heart defect.
• Using alcohol or illegal drugs during pregnancy puts a child at a higher risk for a heart condition.
• Mothers who had a viral infection during the first trimester of pregnancy puts a child at a higher risk for a heart defect.
• Increased blood sugar levels, such as occurs with diabetes, may affect child-hood development.

Risk factors
Certain environmental and genetic risk factors influence the development of congenital heart disease, including:

• Your genes.
• German measles (rubella) during pregnancy
• Diabetes. Having type 1 or type 2 diabetes during pregnancy
• Medications. Taking certain medications while pregnant
• Alcohol. Drinking alcohol while pregnant
• Smoking. A mother who smokes while pregnant

The treatment for a congenital heart condition depends on the type and how severe is the condition. Some babies have mild heart conditions that heal over time.

Others may have severe conditions that will require extensive treatment. Treatment may include the following:

• Medications
• Implant Heart Devices
• Catheter Procedures
• Open-Heart Surgery
• Heart Transplant

In case the congenital heart condition is too complex to fix, a heart transplant may be needed.