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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.
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.
Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure, is a condition that develops when your heart doesn’t pump enough blood for your body’s needs. This can happen if your heart can’t fill up with enough blood. It can also happen when your heart is too weak to pump properly. The term "heart failure" does not mean that your heart has stopped.
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.
Heart failure is the leading cause of death in adults with congenital heart defects. Some children with congenital heart defects can also develop heart failure. Pregnancy complications. Women with congenital heart defects have a higher risk of complications during pregnancy and childbirth. Kidney or liver disease.
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.
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 ...
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.
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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. Low oxygen levels in the blood could be ...