Congenital Heart Disease

"Heart disease" refers to a disorder of the heart

. However it is not as simple as what the words describe. It affects the network of blood vessels through which the heart pushes blood with each of its 100,000 beats a day. Heart disease usually takes years to develop. Heart disease has branched into different types, each disease having its own causal factors, symptoms, treatment procedures, and prevention measures. However, still there are certain similarities in the symptoms and diagnoses among the numerous types of heart diseases.

Heredity may play some role in the causation of the disease. If the mother has any congenital defect in her heart, the chances, though minimal, of a defect in the heart of the expected baby may increase. Genetic counselling may help in such cases before the pregnancy is planned. First of all, a congenital heart disease is an abnormality in the heart and major blood vessels, and these defects cause obstructions or unusual flow patterns in the heart. The primary reason for deaths as a result of birth defects is this kind of heart abnormality. This condition is not a problem until after birth, as the blood circulation differs from that after birth. The fetal circulation derives oxygen and nutrients from the mother through the placenta, and the fetal circulation has important communications between the upper heart chambers and the great blood vessels near the heart.

From the body, the blood has to return to the heart for further oxygenation. This blood enters into the upper right chamber of the heart (right auricle), through superior vena cava which returns the blood from the upper half of the body and through the inferior vena cava, which returns the blood from the lower half of the body. Even a rare/uncommon heart disease can be diagnosed with fair accuracy on clinical examination of the heart. Hence in various camps that may be proposed to be organized by various voluntary organizations, not much expenditure is likely to be incurred.

Congenital heart disease is of two classifications - the functional and the organic. About 50 percent of children with Down's syndrome also have CHD. Down's Syndrome is caused by the presence of a single extra chromosome when the sperm cell and ovum join together. Although this disease might be present in infants from the very beginning, it might show aggravated symptoms and be diagnosed during childhood, or sometimes even late in adulthood. There are many different forms of congenital heart disease so the treatments for these forms can vary. For some people surgery to fix the defect is recommended, for others prescription medications along with a strict diet and exercise program will keep any problems in check.

Ultrasound screenings done at around the fifth month of the pregnancy can pick up problems in fetal heart development, and in families with a history of congenital heart disease is often performed. It is essential for those who were diagnosed with congenital heart disease as infants, even if those defects were surgically repaired, continue to have regular cardiac checkups throughout their lives. All pregnant mothers, especially in the first three months of pregnancy, must be prevented from contracting any viral infection, particularly infection caused by the virus of German measles.

by: nicole wilsone

POST COMMENT

Updates On Health Care Reform Dog Periodontal Disease - Prevention and Treatment Less salt for teens means healthier adults Calorie Burn With Whole Body Vibration Fitness Machines 3 Top Acne Skin Care Tips For A Healthier Skin How To Improve Your Health And Fitness-don't Make Dumb Mistakes By Taking The Wrong Exercise For You Buying Qualified IT Leads? That's a Healthier Alternative Top 5 Prostate Cancer Symptoms Vegetable Gardening: A Healthy Way To Eat Right Tanning Skin Cancer - Symptoms And Treatment Oregano Oil Health Benefits When It Is The Real Deal Building Your Body One Movement at a Time White Foul Smelling Vaginal Discharge - It's Probably Bacterial Vaginosis