Information on Congenital Heart Disease & Defects

Congenital Heart Disease

What Is Congenital Heart Disease

Congenital heart disease is a term used to describe heart conditions in infants, children, and adults that are caused by abnormalities in prenatal heart development (congenital heart defects). Congenital heart disease causes the most deaths within the first year of life compared to any other birth defect, and affects approximately 500,000 American adults.

Among the most common of congenital heart diseases are:

Tetralogy of Fallot, which causes low blood oxygen levels. This condition is characterized by a hole between the right and left ventricles, narrowing of the valve and artery that connect the heart and the lungs, a displaced aorta, and a thickened right ventricle wall.
Atrial septic defect, which causes a hole in between the two upper chambers of the heart, known as atria.
Ventricular septic defect, which causes a hole in between the right and left lower chambers of the heart, or ventricles.
Aortic stenosis, in which the aortic valve is narrowed.

Risk Factors For Congenital Heart Disease

Diagnosing Congenital Heart Disease

Symptoms of Congenital Heart Disease

Prognosis

Living With Congenital Heart Disease

There is not much you can do about having a congenital heart disease, though there are things you can do to improve your overall heart health and reduce your risk of heart attack/failure:

Stop smoking. An estimated 20% of all deaths due to heart disease are directly linked to smoking.
Keep your blood pressure and cholesterol under control. People with high blood pressure and cholesterol are at an elevated risk for heart disease. About 50% of ischaemic strokes (caused by a blockage of the artery to the brain) are caused by high blood pressure.
Manage your weight. About one in three American adults is obese (weighing at least 20 percent above the “suggested” weight for their height), which doubles their risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) at a given age.
Engage in regular cardiovascular exercise. Exercise helps the heart work more efficiently, reducing blood pressure, raising HDL cholesterol, decreasing the tendency of blood to form clots, moderating stress, helping the body use insulin, and helping people maintain a healthy weight. Sedentary people who begin a regular program of exercise reduce their risk of a heart attack by 35 to 55 percent. Low-intensity activities, such as gardening or walking, if done regularly and over the long term, can decrease the risk of heart attack. Speak with your doctor about the right routine for you.
If you have diabetes, keep your blood sugar levels under control. People with diabetes are twice as likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
Eat a healthy diet. Opt for high fiber foods such as fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, as well as omega-3 oils such as coldwater fish and salmon), and mono- and polyunsaturated fats. But limit saturated fats and avoid trans fats, often found in fried foods, processed foods, and commercial baked goods.
Limit salt. The American Heart Association recently reduced the amount of salt recommended for everyone to just 1,500 mg a day, which is about two-thirds of a teaspoon.
Control stress.
Tame alcohol intake. There’s a growing consensus that light to moderate alcohol consumption–that is, two drinks or less a day for a man, one drink for a woman (a drink is defined as 12 oz. of beer, 4 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits) can help prevent heart attacks. However, drinking more than that can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Educate yourself about your condition so that you can know as much as you can about heart disease. This will help ensure you are getting the best treatment available, as well as train you to recognize any potentially harmful side effects or disease progression.

Screening

Prevention

Promoting overall heart health will help to lower your risk of heart defect complications such as heart attack and heart failure. The following are tips for a heart healthy lifestyle:

Quit smoking. An estimated 20% of deaths due to heart disease in the United States are linked directly to smoking.
Reduce your blood cholesterol. For every 1 percent reduction in high blood cholesterol, there’s a 2 to 3 percent decline in the risk of heart attack.
Avoid or control hypertension. For every one-point reduction in diastolic blood pressure, there’s a 2 to 3 percent decline in the risk of heart attack.
Stay active. Exercise helps the heart work more efficiently, reducing blood pressure, raising HDL cholesterol, decreasing the tendency of blood to form clots, moderating stress, helping the body use insulin, and helping people maintain a healthy weight. Sedentary people who begin a regular program of exercise reduce their risk of a heart attack by 35 to 55 percent. Low-intensity activities, such as gardening or walking, if done regularly and over the long term, can decrease the risk of heart attack.
Maintain a healthy weight. About one in three American adults is obese (weighing at least 20 percent above the “suggested” weight for their height), which doubles their risk for CAD at a given age. Obesity also increases the risk for hypertension, and high blood cholesterol.
Avoid or control diabetes. Type 2 diabetes (non-insulin-dependent), is an important risk factor for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, heart disease and stroke are the number one cause of death for patients with type 2 diabetes, and adults with type 2 diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease than those who do not.
Consider a drink a day. There’s a growing consensus that light to moderate alcohol consumption—that is, two drinks or less a day for a man, one drink for a woman (a drink is defined as 12 oz. of beer, 4 oz. of wine, or 1.5 oz. of 80-proof spirits) can help prevent heart attacks. However, drinking more than that can increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.
Take low-dose aspirin. The recommended regimen–a baby aspirin (81 milligrams) daily or half a regular aspirin (160 milligrams) very other day–can lower the risk of heart attack by about one-third by reducing the ability of platelets in the blood to stick together and thus form a clot. Aspirin can have side effects and isn’t right for everyone, so consult with your doctor.

Medication And Treatment

Most congenital heart diseases cannot be cured with medications, though medications can help manage symptoms, treat complications, and prevent future damaging cardiac events. These include:

Side effects of antiarrhythmics include:

Side effects of anticoagulants and antiplatelet medications include:

Because anticoagulants lengthened the time required to form a blood clot, patients taking anticoagulants are at a higher risk for excessive bleeding and hemorrhaging. Speak to your doctor about the risks and benefits of taking anticoagulants. It is especially important to take into consideration this potentially life threatening side effect.

Diuretics, which help to decrease excess fluid in the body, and lower blood pressure.
- Chlorthalidone (Hygroton)
- Hydrochlorothiazide (Hydrodiuril, Microzide, Esidrix)
- Indapamide (Lozol)
- Metolazone (Mykrox, Zaroxolyn).
Side effects of diuretics include:
- Frequent urination
- Arrhythmia (irregular heartbeat)
- Weakness
- Muscle cramps
- Dehydration
- Dizziness/confusion
- Nausea/loss of appetite
Digoxin, which helps the heartbeat become strongerSide effects of digoxin include:
- Nausea
- Headache
- Vomiting/Diarrhea
- Breast enlargement in men

Vasodilators, which increase the diameter of blood vessels to allow for easier blood flow, ultimately taking stress off of the heart.
- Hydralazine hydrochloride (Apresoline)
- Minoxidil (Loniten).
Side effects of direct-acting vasodilators include:
- Dizziness
- Headache
- Anxiety
- Mild Rash
- Muscle or Joint pain
- Nausea/vomiting
- Diarrhea/constipation
- Fast heartbeat
- Flu-like symptoms
- Swelling in the hands, ankles, or feet

Antiarrhythmics, which help prevent irregular heartbeats. These include:
- Phenytoin (Dilantin, Phenytek)
- Propanolol (Inderal, Innopran)
- Quinidine
- Blurred vision
- Headache
- Insomnia
- Dry mouth
- Fatigue
- Irregular heart beat
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Difficulty breathing
Anticoagulants and Antiplatelet medications, which help prevent blood clots. These include:
- Aspirin
- Warfarin (Coumadin)
- Dabigitran (Pradaxa)
- Rivaroxaban (Xarelto)
- Apixaban (Eliquis)
- Nausea
- Frequent nosebleeds
- Headaches
- Back pain
- Rash
- Easy bruising
- Increased menstrual bleeding
- Hair loss
- Diarrhea

Antibiotics during surgical or dental procedures to protect against the infection of the heart.

In many cases, surgery may be necessary to cure a congenital disease. Surgeries vary in levels of complication and can be performed at any age. Many infants with serious congenital heart defects require immediate operation.

Complementary and Alternative Treatment

The following list of heart health supplements is offered by the University of Maryland Medical Center that may help lower the overall risk of heart disease for individuals with congenital heart defects. Always check with your cardiologist or primary doctor before adding supplements to your regimen for treating and preventing heart failure. Many people with heart conditions take multiple medications, including blood-thinning medications, blood pressure medications, and others. The supplements below may interact with these (and other medications) and may not be right for people with certain medical conditions.

Magnesium is particularly important for maintaining a normal heart rhythm and is often used by physicians to treat irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia). People with heart failure are often at risk for developing an arrhythmia. In addition, some diuretics (water pills) may cause your body to lose too much magnesium.
Carnitine. Early studies show L-carnitine supplements may reduce your chances of developing heart failure after a heart attack and improve exercise capacity if you already have heart failure.
Coenzyme Q-10. Several research studies suggest that CoQ10 supplements can help reduce swelling in the legs, enhance breathing by reducing fluid in the lungs, and increase exercise capacity in people with heart failure.
Creatine is a naturally occurring amino acid (protein building block) found mainly in muscles. In a few studies of people with heart failure, injections of creatine (in addition to standard medical care) provided improvement in heart function and ability to exercise compared to those who received placebo.
Vitamin B1 (Thiamine may be related to heart failure in several ways. First, low levels of thiamine can contribute to the development of heart failure. On the flip side, people with severe heart failure can lose a significant amount of weight, including muscle mass (called cachexia), and become deficient in many nutrients, including thiamine. In addition, diuretics (water pills) can cause your body to lose too much thiamine.
Amino acids. A few small studies suggest these amino acids might be helpful for heart failure, but more research is needed:
- Arginine (needed for the body to make nitric oxide, which helps blood flow)
- Taurine (helps heart muscle contract)

Stress reduction practices. Since stress is associated with heart disease, it’s prudent to try techniques to help reduce it. The following methods have been shown to reduce stress in some people:

Meditation
Yoga, Tai’ Chi, and other forms of moderate exercise such as walking
Deep breathing
Visualization
Biofeedback

Congenital Heart Disease

What Is Congenital Heart Disease

Risk Factors For Congenital Heart Disease

Diagnosing Congenital Heart Disease

Symptoms of Congenital Heart Disease

Prognosis

Living With Congenital Heart Disease

Screening

Prevention

Medication And Treatment

Complementary and Alternative Treatment

When To Contact A Doctor

Questions For A Doctor

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