Congenital Heart Disease Definition, Reason, Symptoms, Treatment & Prevention
Definition
Congenital heart disease is a condition of heart problems in children who are born with abnormalities or problems with the structure of the heart. Some congenital heart disease in children is in a fairly mild stage, is not dangerous, and does not require special treatment.
However, other congenital heart disease in children can be more complex and require multiple surgeries. This procedure is usually performed over a period of several years.
Congenital Heart Disease Symptom
Signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease generally appear immediately at birth or within the first few months of life. Signs and symptoms that arise can include:
- Pale gray or blue skin (cyanosis)
- Rapid breathing
- Swelling of the legs, abdomen and area around the eyes
- Shortness of breath when feeding, which causes inhibited weight gain
Some congenital heart disease that is not too severe can be diagnosed when the child is older. This is because the child is not showing any obvious signs or symptoms.
Signs and symptoms that occur in older children can include:
- Easily short of breath when exercising or doing activities
- Easily tired when exercising or doing activities
- Loss of consciousness during sports or activities
- Swelling of the hands, ankles or feet
Congenital Heart Disease Reason
In the first six weeks of pregnancy, the fetal heart begins to form and develop. The main blood vessels that carry blood flow to and from the heart also begin to form during this important period.
Generally, it is at this time that congenital heart disease begins to occur. However, researchers do not know exactly what causes most of these diseases.
Some things that are thought to play a role include genetic factors, certain health conditions, and the use of certain medications. In addition, exposure to cigarettes is also thought to play a role.
Congenital Heart Disease Diagnosis
Congenital heart disease can be detected when the doctor hears additional heart sounds (heart murmurs) during a routine examination. A heart murmur is the sound heard when blood rushes to the heart or blood vessels quickly and creates a sound that can be heard by a doctor through a stethoscope.
Most heart murmurs are harmless, which means there is no congenital heart disease. However, some heart murmurs can also mean that blood is flowing through the child’s heart abnormally due to an abnormality in the heart.
Several investigations are needed to determine the presence of congenital heart disease, namely:
- Fetal echocardiogram. This examination uses ultrasound to check for abnormalities in the fetal heart before birth.
- Echocardiogram. This examination uses ultrasound to check for congenital heart disease in children who are already born. The test uses sound waves to get an image of the heart.
- Electrocardiogram. This non-invasive examination records the electrical activity of the heart and is used to diagnose heart defects or heart rhythm disturbances.
- X-ray photo. This examination uses X-rays to see if the heart is enlarged, or if there is excess blood or fluid in the lungs.
- Oxygen saturation check. This examination measures the level of oxygen in the blood.
- Cardiac catheterization. This examination uses a kind of thin and flexible instrument, called a catheter, which is inserted into a vein. The catheter is inserted from the groin to the heart. In addition, some handling procedures can also be done with cardiac catheterization.
Congenital Heart Disease Treatment
Some types of congenital heart disease do not have a long-term impact on health. In some cases, the abnormalities that occur also do not require specific treatment.
Some conditions of heart valve abnormalities that are small in size can also close by themselves with age. However, some types of heart defects can have serious implications and require immediate treatment.
Depending on the type of heart defect experienced, treatment for congenital heart disease can include:
- Catheterization procedure. Some congenital heart diseases can be corrected by catheterization techniques. In this procedure, the doctor inserts a thin instrument into a vein in the leg and points it toward the heart. After that, there are certain tools that come out of the end of the heart catheter to repair heart defects that are found.
- Open heart surgery. Depending on the condition of the heart defect, open heart surgery can be a treatment option. This type of surgery involves making small incisions between the ribs and using instruments to repair the heart defect.
- Heart transplant. If there is a severe heart defect that cannot be repaired, a heart transplant may be an option.
- Treatment. Some mild congenital heart diseases, especially those detected in the teens or adults, can be treated with certain medications to help the heart work more efficiently.
Prevention
Because the cause of most congenital heart diseases is not known with certainty, there is no way to prevent the condition from occurring. However, several things can be done to reduce the risk of congenital heart defects and abnormalities after birth, such as:
- Get the rubella vaccine. Rubella infection during pregnancy can affect the baby’s heart development.
- Prevent the use of hazardous substances. During pregnancy, avoid using drugs, supplements or other substances before consulting a doctor. Also, avoid smoking or consuming alcohol during pregnancy.