Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is heart disease in the newborn, and includes structural defects, congenital arrythmias, and cardiomyopathies. CHD is a defect of the heart that exists primarily at birth, and can describe a wide variety of different abnormalities affecting the heart. CHD occurs when the heart or blood vessels near the heart does not develop properly before birth. Therefore, the heart does not pump because it is not completely developed. Also the blood flow is obstructed in the heart of the vessels nearby, causing an abnormal flow of blood through the heart. Blood flow obstructions put a strain on the heart muscle causing the heart to work harder and beat faster. Abnormal blood flow usually occurs when there is a hole in the walls of the heart and may be an abnormal connection between two arteries outside the heart.

CHD has many diverse causes. Some factors are environmental, such as chemicals, drugs, or infection. However, the bulk of CHD is thought to be genetic in nature. Infections such as German measles can produce CHD. Women with diabetes, systemic lupus erythematosus and phenylketonuria are at high risk for their children to be born with this disease. Other causes include the mother's excessive intake of alcohol and illegal drugs while pregnant. There are many genetic conditions which can be a factor in causing CHD, such as DiGeorge syndrome, Holt-Oram syndrome, and Alagille syndrome. Although these factors are known causes of CHD, most are currently unknown. Therefore, the causes of most cases of CHD are unknown.

It is now estimated that the number of adults in the United States who have congenital heart disease is approaching one million. Because of advances in cardiac surgery, many who would not previously have survived childhood, now lead normal or relatively normal lives. However, some increase in complications has been observed in adults who were previously thought to have had successful repair of heart defects. These complications include cardiac arrhythmia, disorders of heart valves, and heart failure. Regular check-ups by cardiologists are now recommended for patients with histories of congenital heart disease, including those who may have previously been told that their defects were successfully repaired. Since most adult cardiologists have little experience with congenital heart disease, specialty centers have been developed to care for adult patients with congenital heart disease. It is thought that some patients, especially those with more complex disorders, and women who are pregnant or considering pregnancy, would likely do better if they are followed in specialty centers. Guidelines have been developed regarding which patients may be successfully followed in non-specialized cardiology practices, and which should be seen in adult congenital heart disease centers.

...More at Wikipedia

Related Links:

• American Heart Association
• US National Library of Medicine
• Mayo Clinic

Recent Hope Cube Blog Entries For Congenital Heart Disease