Chg

Congenital Heart Disease
Heart_diagram-en.svg
Synonyms	N/A
Pronounce	N/A
Specialty	N/A
Symptoms	Cyanosis, shortness of breath, fatigue, heart murmur
Complications	Heart failure, arrhythmias, endocarditis
Onset	At birth
Duration	Lifelong
Types	N/A
Causes	Genetic and environmental factors
Risks	Family history, maternal diabetes, maternal alcohol use
Diagnosis	Echocardiogram, chest X-ray, MRI
Differential diagnosis	N/A
Prevention	N/A
Treatment	Surgery, medication, catheter-based procedures
Medication	N/A
Prognosis	N/A
Frequency	1 in 100 births
Deaths	N/A

Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) refers to a range of birth defects that affect the normal workings of the heart. These defects can involve the interior walls of the heart, the heart valves, or the large blood vessels that carry blood to and from the heart. CHD is the most common type of birth defect, affecting approximately 1 in 100 live births.

Classification

Congenital heart defects are classified based on the specific structural abnormalities present. The main categories include:

Cyanotic Defects

Cyanotic heart defects result in a decrease in the amount of oxygen delivered to the body, leading to cyanosis, a bluish tint to the skin, lips, and nail beds. Common cyanotic defects include:

• Tetralogy of Fallot
• Transposition of the great arteries
• Tricuspid atresia

Acyanotic Defects

Acyanotic heart defects do not typically cause cyanosis but can lead to other complications such as heart failure. Examples include:

• Ventricular septal defect (VSD)
• Atrial septal defect (ASD)
• Patent ductus arteriosus (PDA)

Causes

The exact cause of congenital heart disease is often unknown, but it is believed to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some known risk factors include:

• Genetic syndromes such as Down syndrome
• Maternal conditions like diabetes and rubella infection during pregnancy
• Exposure to certain medications or substances during pregnancy

Symptoms

Symptoms of congenital heart disease can vary widely depending on the type and severity of the defect. Common symptoms include:

• Cyanosis
• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Heart murmur
• Poor feeding and growth in infants

Diagnosis

Diagnosis of congenital heart disease typically involves a combination of physical examination and diagnostic tests. These may include:

• Echocardiogram: An ultrasound of the heart to visualize its structure and function
• Chest X-ray: To assess the size and shape of the heart and lungs
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI): Provides detailed images of the heart's anatomy
• Cardiac catheterization: Invasive procedure to measure pressures and oxygen levels in the heart chambers

Treatment

Treatment for congenital heart disease depends on the specific defect and its severity. Options include:

Surgical Intervention

Many congenital heart defects require surgical correction. Common procedures include:

• Open-heart surgery to repair or replace heart valves or close septal defects
• Arterial switch operation for transposition of the great arteries

Catheter-Based Procedures

Less invasive than surgery, these procedures use catheters to repair defects:

• Balloon angioplasty to open narrowed blood vessels
• Device closure of septal defects

Medication

Medications may be used to manage symptoms or prevent complications:

• Diuretics to reduce fluid overload
• Beta-blockers to control heart rate

Prognosis

The prognosis for individuals with congenital heart disease varies widely. Advances in medical and surgical treatment have significantly improved outcomes, allowing many individuals to lead normal, active lives. However, lifelong follow-up with a cardiologist is often necessary.

Prevention

While not all cases of congenital heart disease can be prevented, certain measures can reduce risk:

• Prenatal care and screening
• Avoidance of alcohol and certain medications during pregnancy
• Management of maternal health conditions

See Also

• Pediatric cardiology
• Heart development
• Congenital disorder

Cardiovascular disease A-Z

Most common cardiac diseases

• Cardiac arrhythmia‎
• Cardiogenetic disorders‎
• Cardiomegaly‎
• Cardiomyopathy‎
• Cardiopulmonary resuscitation‎
• Chronic rheumatic heart diseases‎
• Congenital heart defects‎
• Heart neoplasia‎
• Ischemic heart diseases‎
• Pericardial disorders
• Syndromes affecting the heart‎
• Valvular heart disease‎

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

A

• Accelerated idioventricular rhythm
• Acute decompensated heart failure
• Arteriosclerotic heart disease
• Athletic heart syndrome
• Atrial flutter
• Atrioventricular fistula
• Cardiovascular disease in Australia
• Autoimmune heart disease

B

• Brown atrophy of the heart

C

• Ebb Cade
• Cardiac allograft vasculopathy
• Cardiac amyloidosis
• Cardiac asthma
• Cardiac tamponade
• Cardiogenic shock
• Cardiogeriatrics
• Cardiorenal syndrome
• Cardiotoxicity
• Carditis
• Coronary artery aneurysm
• Coronary artery anomaly
• Coronary artery disease
• Spontaneous coronary artery dissection
• Coronary artery ectasia
• Coronary occlusion
• Coronary steal
• Coronary thrombosis
• Coronary vasospasm
• Cœur en sabot
• Coxsackievirus-induced cardiomyopathy

D

• Duke Treadmill Score
• Duroziez's disease

E

• Eisenmenger's syndrome
• Embryocardia
• Endocardial fibroelastosis
• Eosinophilic myocarditis

H

• Heart attack
• Heart failure
• Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction
• Heart to Heart (1949 film)
• High-output heart failure
• Hyperdynamic precordium

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

I

• Idiopathic giant-cell myocarditis
• Interventricular dyssynchrony
• Intraventricular dyssynchrony
• Isolated atrial amyloidosis

K

• Keshan disease

L

• Loeffler endocarditis

M

• Mydicar
• Myocardial bridge
• Myocardial disarray
• Myocardial rupture
• Myocardial scarring
• Myocardial stunning
• Myocarditis

N

• Nonbacterial thrombotic endocarditis

O

• OLR1
• Ostial disease

P

• Papillary fibroelastoma
• Pathophysiology of heart failure
• Postpericardiotomy syndrome
• Pulmonary vein stenosis

R

• Right axis deviation
• Roemheld syndrome

S

• Saturated fat and cardiovascular disease
• SCAR-Fc
• Shone's syndrome
• Strain pattern
• Subacute bacterial endocarditis
• Sudden cardiac death of athletes

A | B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V | W | X | Y | Z

T

• Traumatic cardiac arrest

V

• Ventricular aneurysm
• Vibroacoustic disease
• Viral cardiomyopathy

W

• Waon therapy