What Causes Congenital Heart Defects And How Are They Treated?

 A congenital heart defect is another term for an issue with someone's heart at birth. The heart may have had a minor hole or something more serious. Although these are significant illnesses, many of them may be cured surgically.

In certain situations, doctors are able to detect these issues in a kid before it is born. If you or your kid has a congenital heart problem, you may not notice any symptoms until maturity, or you may not notice any symptoms at all.

Causes of congenital heart defects

According to Dr Ranjit Jagtap News, doctors aren't always sure why a kid was born with a congenital cardiac abnormality. They tend to run in families, and the likelihood of having congenital heart abnormalities increases if a parent or other relatives have issues.

Other factors that increase the likelihood of congenital abnormalities include down syndrome, a gene problem in children, smoking or alcohol during pregnancy, certain medication, a viral infection like rubella, diabetes, and much more.

Types

The majority of congenital cardiac disorders are structural in nature, such as holes and leaking valves. They are as follows:

1. Defective heart valves

One may be excessively thin or too closed. This makes it difficult for blood to pass through. Sometimes it can't even get through. In some circumstances, the valve may fail to seal adequately, allowing blood to seep backward.

2. Problems with the "walls" of the heart

It might be the ones between your heart's chambers (atria and ventricles). Blood may mingle when there are holes or channels between the left and right sides of the heart.

3. Muscle problems in the heart

These conditions can lead to heart failure, which occurs when the heart does not pump as efficiently as it should.

4. Bad Blood vessel connections

In newborns, this may cause blood that should be going to the lungs to instead travel to other areas of the body, or vice versa. These flaws can deplete blood of oxygen, resulting in organ failure.

Dr Ranjit Jagtap, a well-known cardiothoracic surgeon performs new born heart surgeries. He has been involved in heart surgeries since more than 30 years and performed several such surgeries with excellent results.

Congenital heart disease treatment

• The severity of your or your child's congenital heart condition is typically determined by the defect.
• Mild abnormalities, such as holes in the heart, generally may not require treatment since they may heal on their own and create no additional issues.
• If the defect is substantial and producing complications, surgery or interventional treatments are typically necessary. Modern surgical procedures may frequently restore much or all of the normal function of the heart.
• People with congenital cardiac disease, on the other hand, may require therapy throughout their lives and so require specialised assessment during infancy and adulthood. This is due to the fact that persons with complicated cardiac disorders may acquire further difficulties with their heart rhythm or valves over time.
• The affected person needs to take extra precautions to avoid infection.
• It is critical that a person with heart disease, as well as their parents or caregivers, share these concerns with their professional medical team.

Symptoms

Some congenital cardiac abnormalities have no symptoms or indicators. Signs or symptoms may appear later in life for some persons. Symptoms of a cardiac abnormality might reappear years after therapy.

Adults with congenital heart disease may have the following symptoms:

• Heart rhythm irregularities (arrhythmias)
• Skin, lips, and fingernails have a blue colour (cyanosis)
• Breathing difficulty
• Exertion causes rapid exhaustion.
• Body tissue or organ swelling (edema)

When should you see a doctor?

Serious congenital cardiac abnormalities are frequently detected before or shortly after your child's birth. If you detect any of the aforementioned signs or symptoms in your infant, contact your child's doctor.

You should visit Dr Ranjit Jagtap Clinic if he or she exhibits any of the signs or symptoms of less serious heart abnormalities as he or she develops.