Adult Congenital Heart Disease

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Adult Congenital Heart Disease
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Congenital Heart Disease
Congenital heart disease is an umbrella term used
for a range of birth defects affecting the normal
way the heart works. The term "congenital"
describes the condition that is present from
birth. Congenital heart disease is one of the
most common types of birth defect. This might
affect almost 1 in 100 babies born in the
US. Congenital heart disease is a problem with
the structure of the heart that exists since
birth. Congenital heart disease or congenital
heart defect can cause alteration in the way
blood flows through your heart. Some congenital
heart defects are complex and might cause
life-threatening complications. However, some
might not cause any problems. The defects in the
heart by birth can affect the walls of the heart,
the valves of the heart, and the arteries and
veins near the heart. They can cause abnormality
or disruption in the normal flow of blood through
the heart. The blood flow can be slow, flowing in
the wrong direction or wrong place, and/or
blocked completely. Several congenital heart
defects cause few or even no signs and symptoms
till the child gets older. These defects might
not be even diagnosed until children grow older.
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Types of Congenital Heart Disease
A congenital heart defect is of different types.
Most defects affect the walls, valves, or blood
vessels of your heart. Some conditions might be
serious and need several surgeries as well as
treatments. Hole in the Heart or Septal
Defect With this condition, youre born with a
hole in the wall or septum. A septum separates
the left and right sides of your heart, with the
hole it lets blood from the two sides
mix. Atrial Septal Defect This is caused due to
hole in the wall between the upper chambers, or
the right and left atria, of your heart. The hole
lets the blood from the left atrium mix with
blood in the right atrium. Ventricular Septal
Defect (VSD) A VSD is caused by a hole in the
part of your septum that separates your hearts
lower chambers, or ventricles. In this congenital
heart defect, the blood gets pumped back to your
lungs instead of going to your body.
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Complete Atrioventricular Canal Defect (CAVC) It
is the most serious septal defect caused by a
hole in your heart that affects all four
chambers. This congenital defect prevents
oxygen-rich blood from going to the right places
in your body. Stenosis This is a defect in the
valves that control the flow of blood through
your hearts ventricles and arteries. In this
condition, the valves become narrow or stiff, and
wont open or allow blood to pass
easily. Regurgitation The valves dont close
tightly in this condition, which lets your blood
leak backward through them. Atresia This
happens due to a defect in the formation of the
valve or has no opening to let your blood pass
through. This leads to more complicated heart
problems. Ebsteins anomaly This is a defect in
the tricuspid valve, which may keep it from
closing tightly. Babies suffering from Ebsteins
also often have an atrial septal defect (ASD).
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• Pulmonary valve stenosis This is the most common
  valve defect affecting newborns. In severe cases,
  babies often have strained right ventricles. The
  pediatrician usually treats it with a catheter
  procedure that would inflate and stretch open the
  strained valve.
• Tetralogy of Fallot This defect is a combination
  of 4 defects, including
•    A large ventricular septal defect (VSD).
•    The thickened wall around the right ventricle,
  or lower chamber.
•    The aorta is located above the hole in the
  ventricular wall.
•    A stiff pulmonary valve prevents blood from
  flowing easily from the heart to the lungs.
• There are various other minor defects of
  congenital heart disease including, Patent ductus
  arteriosus (PDA), truncus arteriosus,
  transposition of the great arteries,
  d-transposition of the great arteries, and single
  ventricle defects.
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