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Fatigue, or feeling constantly tired. Heart murmurs, which are unusual sounds heard between heartbeats. Murmurs sometimes sound like a whooshing or swishing noise. Poor blood circulation. Rapid breathing. Shortness of breath during physical activity can happen in children or adults with a congenital heart defect.
English. Español. Congenital heart defects, or diseases, are problems with the heart’s structure that are present at birth. They may change the normal flow of blood through the heart. Congenital heart defects are the most common type of birth defect, occurring in about one percent of live births in the United States.
However, critical congenital heart defects often require treatment. Medicines. Medicine is often used if your baby has a specific type of congenital heart defect called patent ductus arteriosus. Usually, patent ductus arteriosus goes away on its own, however, sometimes medicine is needed to close the patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants.
Normal heart and heart with patent ductus arteriosus. Figure A shows the interior of a normal heart and normal blood flow. The blue arrow shows the flow of oxygen-poor blood as it is pumped from the body into the right atrium and then to the right ventricle. From there, it pumps through the pulmonary artery to the lungs, where it picks up oxygen.
Newborn screenings. Pulse oximetry is a test that can tell whether a newborn has low levels of oxygen in the blood, which may be a symptom of critical congenital heart defects. The test involves attaching sensors to the baby’s hands or feet to measure oxygen levels and is recommended for all newborns in the United States.
The risk of having a baby with a congenital heart defect is influenced by many factors including: Family history and genetics. Congenital heart disease is not usually passed along to your children, but there is some risk. The risk is greater if your baby’s other parent, or another of your children, has a congenital heart defect.
A conduction disorder, also known as heart block, is a problem with the electrical system that controls your heart’s rate and rhythm. This system is called the cardiac conduction system. Normally, the electrical signal that makes your heart beat travels from the top of your heart to the bottom. The signal causes your heart muscle to beat and ...
Echocardiography or echo is a painless test that uses sound waves to create moving pictures of the heart. It can help diagnose a heart defect or be used to follow progress over time. Echocardiography used during pregnancy (fetal echocardiography) can sometimes be used to help find a congenital heart defect before a baby is born. Cardiac ...
Long QT syndrome (LQTS) is a type of conduction disorder. A conduction disorder is a problem with the electrical system that controls your heartbeat. The term “long QT” refers to a problem with the pattern seen on an electrocardiogram (EKG). An EKG is a test that detects and records your heart’s electrical activity.
Heart and vascular, or cardiovascular, diseases include conditions such as arrhythmias, coronary heart disease, heart attack, high blood pressure, congenital heart defects, vascular dementia, and stroke. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) supports research on the causes, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of heart and ...