Wrodzona wada serca u dorosłych

Wrodzona wada serca u dorosłych
Objawy

Wrodzona wada serca u dorosłych (ACHD) obejmuje różnorodne defekty strukturalne serca obecne od urodzenia, które mogą manifestować się objawami dopiero w wieku dorosłym lub po wcześniejszym leczeniu w dzieciństwie. Objawy takie jak arytmie, duszność, sinica, obrzęki czy zawroty głowy są zależne od rodzaju, nasilenia wady oraz wieku pacjenta. Przykładowo, ubytek przegrody międzyprzedsionkowej (ASD) często pozostaje bezobjawowy do 30-40 roku życia, po czym pojawiają się duszność i migotanie przedsionków (występujące u około 12% przed operacją i do 23% po niej). Koarktacja aorty u dorosłych manifestuje się nadciśnieniem skurczowym i szmerem serca w 50% przypadków, a tetralogia Fallota charakteryzuje się sinicą wysiłkową i zwiększonym ryzykiem arytmii oraz niewydolności serca. Wiele wad wymaga dożywotniego monitorowania, gdyż nawet po skutecznej korekcji chirurgicznej mogą pojawić się powikłania, takie jak arytmie, infekcyjne zapalenie wsierdzia, nadciśnienie płucne, zespół Eisenmengera czy niewydolność serca.

Objawy wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych

Wrodzona wada serca u dorosłych (ang. Adult Congenital Heart Disease, ACHD) to termin określający schorzenia wpływające na strukturę serca obecne od urodzenia. Wady te mogą zmieniać przepływ krwi przez serce i wywoływać różnorodne objawy, które mogą pojawić się dopiero w wieku dorosłym lub powrócić po wcześniejszym leczeniu w dzieciństwie.¹²

U wielu osób z wrodzonymi wadami serca objawy mogą nie występować przez lata, a nawet dziesięciolecia. Niektóre defekty ujawniają się dopiero w okresie dojrzewania lub wczesnej dorosłości, gdy serce nie jest już w stanie kompensować nieprawidłowości strukturalnych.³⁴ Szacuje się, że około 2 miliony dorosłych w Stanach Zjednoczonych żyje z wrodzoną wadą serca, a wielu z nich może nie być świadomych swojego stanu zdrowia.⁵⁶

Najczęstsze objawy wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych

Objawy wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych mogą się różnić w zależności od typu wady, jej nasilenia oraz wieku pacjenta. Do najczęstszych objawów należą:⁷⁸

Zaburzenia rytmu serca (arytmie) – mogą być odczuwalne jako kołatanie serca, nierówne bicie serca lub zbyt szybka/zbyt wolna akcja serca⁹¹⁰
Duszność – szczególnie podczas wysiłku fizycznego lub aktywności¹¹¹²
Szybkie męczenie się – obniżona wydolność wysiłkowa, zmęczenie pojawiające się nawet przy niewielkim wysiłku¹³¹⁴
Sinica – niebieskawe lub szarawe zabarwienie skóry, warg i paznokci wynikające z niskiego poziomu tlenu we krwi (trudniej do zauważenia u osób o ciemniejszym kolorze skóry)¹⁵¹⁶
Obrzęki – gromadzenie się płynów w tkankach ciała, zwłaszcza w kończynach dolnych, brzuchu lub rękach¹⁷¹⁸
Zawroty głowy lub omdlenia – szczególnie podczas wysiłku fizycznego¹⁹²⁰
Szmery sercowe – nietypowe dźwięki pomiędzy uderzeniami serca wykrywane podczas osłuchiwania²¹²²

Czynniki wpływające na nasilenie objawów

Nasilenie objawów wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych zależy od kilku czynników:²³²⁴

Rodzaj wady serca – niektóre defekty, jak małe ubytki w przegrodzie międzyprzedsionkowej, mogą powodować minimalne objawy, podczas gdy złożone wady mogą prowadzić do poważnych zaburzeń²⁵²⁶
Liczba współistniejących wad serca – osoby z wieloma defektami zazwyczaj doświadczają bardziej nasilonych objawów²⁷
Stopień nasilenia wady – im poważniejsza wada, tym cięższe objawy²⁸
Wiek pacjenta – wraz z wiekiem mogą pojawiać się nowe objawy lub nasilać istniejące²⁹
Historia wcześniejszych operacji – osoby po zabiegach kardiochirurgicznych mogą doświadczać powikłań związanych z blizną pooperacyjną lub degeneracją naprawionych struktur³⁰

Warto podkreślić, że nawet osoby po pomyślnie przeprowadzonych zabiegach naprawczych w dzieciństwie mogą doświadczać nowych objawów w dorosłości, ponieważ procedury te często nie stanowią całkowitego wyleczenia wady.³¹³²

Przebieg choroby i progresja

Przebieg wrodzonej wady serca u dorosłych zależy od wielu czynników, w tym rodzaju wady, jej złożoności oraz historii wcześniejszych interwencji medycznych. Ważne jest zrozumienie, że nawet „naprawione” wady serca wymagają monitorowania przez całe życie.³³³⁴

Naturalna historia wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych

Różne wady serca mają odmienną naturalną historię w dorosłości:³⁵³⁶

Ubytek przegrody międzyprzedsionkowej (ASD) – większość pacjentów pozostaje bezobjawowa do 30-40 roku życia, po czym mogą pojawić się duszność i zmęczenie. Objawy zwykle nasilają się wraz z rozwojem arytmii przedsionkowych. Około 12% dorosłych doświadcza migotania przedsionków przed operacją. Zamknięcie ubytku nie eliminuje arytmii przedsionkowych, a migotanie przedsionków po operacji może wystąpić nawet u 23% pacjentów.³⁷³⁸
Ubytek przegrody międzykomorowej (VSD) – pacjenci prezentują poszerzenie lewego przedsionka i lewej komory z nasilonym unaczynieniem oraz mogą mieć przerost lewej komory widoczny w EKG. Małe ubytki są zwykle bezobjawowe, ale duże mogą prowadzić do niewydolności serca w dorosłości.³⁹⁴⁰
Koarktacja aorty – u dorosłych zwykle objawia się nadciśnieniem skurczowym i w 50% przypadków szmerem serca. Leczenie operacyjne daje dobre wyniki, choć w jednym długoterminowym badaniu zaobserwowano 22% późną śmiertelność u pacjentów obserwowanych przez prawie 30 lat.⁴¹⁴²
Tetralogia Fallota – wymaga leczenia chirurgicznego, a śmiertelność operacyjna u dorosłych wynosi obecnie mniej niż 2%. Głównym objawem jest sinica podczas wysiłku. Dorośli częściej niż dzieci doświadczają bólu w klatce piersiowej, arytmii i zastoinowej niewydolności serca.⁴³⁴⁴
Anomalia Ebsteina – większość pacjentów będzie ostatecznie wymagać operacji, zwykle we wczesnej dorosłości lub dzieciństwie. Pacjenci wymagają dożywotniego nadzoru ze względu na późne ryzyko nagłej śmierci.⁴⁵⁴⁶

Progresja objawów i powikłania

U dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca mogą rozwijać się poważne powikłania, nawet wiele lat po leczeniu wady podstawowej:⁴⁷⁴⁸

Zaburzenia rytmu serca (arytmie) – tkanka bliznowata w sercu po zabiegach naprawczych może prowadzić do zmian w przewodzeniu elektrycznym serca. Zmiany te mogą powodować zbyt szybkie, zbyt wolne lub nieregularne bicie serca. Niektóre arytmie mogą prowadzić do udaru mózgu lub nagłej śmierci sercowej, jeśli nie są leczone.⁴⁹⁵⁰
Infekcyjne zapalenie wsierdzia – infekcja wyściółki serca i zastawek sercowych. Nieleczona może uszkodzić lub zniszczyć zastawki serca lub spowodować udar mózgu. Regularne kontrole stomatologiczne są ważne, ponieważ zdrowe dziąsła i zęby zmniejszają ryzyko endocarditis.⁵¹⁵²
Udar mózgu – wrodzona wada serca może umożliwić przejście skrzepu krwi przez serce i dotarcie do mózgu, powodując udar.⁵³⁵⁴
Nadciśnienie płucne – niektóre wady serca obecne od urodzenia kierują więcej krwi do płuc, powodując wzrost ciśnienia. To z czasem osłabia mięsień sercowy i czasami prowadzi do jego niewydolności.⁵⁵⁵⁶
Niewydolność serca – serce nie jest w stanie pompować wystarczającej ilości krwi, aby zaspokoić potrzeby organizmu.⁵⁷⁵⁸
Zespół Eisenmengera – poważne powikłanie dużych wad serca z przeciekiem lewo-prawym, które prowadzi do odwrócenia przepływu krwi (przeciek prawo-lewy) i sinicy.⁵⁹⁶⁰
Powikłania związane z wcześniejszą naprawą chirurgiczną – różne procedury mogą z czasem tracić skuteczność, np. zastawki mogą zacząć przeciekać lub mogą pojawić się zwężenia w miejscach zespoleń.⁶¹⁶²

Specyficzne problemy u dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca

Dorośli z wrodzonymi wadami serca napotykają specyficzne wyzwania:⁶³⁶⁴

Problemy z wysiłkiem fizycznym i treningiem – wiele osób z wrodzonymi wadami serca doświadcza ograniczeń wydolności wysiłkowej⁶⁵
Kwestie związane z ciążą – kobiety z wrodzonymi wadami serca wymagają specjalistycznej opieki podczas ciąży, a w przypadku złożonych wad mogą istnieć przeciwwskazania do zajścia w ciążę⁶⁶⁶⁷
Problemy psychologiczne – poczucie bycia „innym” niż rówieśnicy, obawy o przyszłość, lęk związany z częstymi hospitalizacjami⁶⁸⁶⁹
Kwestie zawodowe i stylu życia – ograniczenia w wykonywaniu niektórych zawodów, dostosowanie stylu życia do ograniczeń wynikających z wady serca⁷⁰

Monitorowanie i zarządzanie objawami

Dorośli z wrodzonymi wadami serca wymagają dożywotniego specjalistycznego nadzoru kardiologicznego, nawet jeśli czują się dobrze i nie mają objawów. Regularne kontrole pozwalają wcześnie wykryć potencjalne problemy i zapobiec poważnym powikłaniom.⁷¹⁷²

Znaczenie regularnych kontroli lekarskich

Wszyscy dorośli z wrodzonymi wadami serca powinni regularnie odwiedzać kardiologa, najlepiej specjalistę w zakresie wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych. Częstotliwość wizyt kontrolnych zależy od złożoności wady i indywidualnej sytuacji pacjenta.⁷³⁷⁴

Podczas wizyt kontrolnych wykonuje się różne badania:⁷⁵

Badania krwi
Badania obrazowe serca (echokardiografia, rezonans magnetyczny, tomografia komputerowa)
Elektrokardiografia (EKG)
Testy wysiłkowe
Inne specjalistyczne badania w zależności od typu wady

Kiedy szukać pilnej pomocy medycznej

Osoby z wrodzonymi wadami serca powinny natychmiast zgłosić się po pomoc medyczną w przypadku wystąpienia następujących objawów:⁷⁶⁷⁷

Trudności w oddychaniu (dyszenie, sapanie lub świszczący oddech)
Ból w klatce piersiowej lub niewyjaśniony dyskomfort
Omdlenie lub utrata przytomności
Nasilające się obrzęki nóg, kostek lub brzucha
Utrzymujące się zawroty głowy
Nieregularne lub przyspieszone bicie serca (palpitacje)
Nasilenie sinicy (niebieskie zabarwienie skóry, warg, paznokci)
Objawy udaru (drętwienie, osłabienie, trudności w mowie, brak koordynacji)
Niekontrolowane krwawienie
Zmieniony poziom świadomości, dezorientacja, ekstremalne osłabienie

Osoby z wrodzonymi wadami serca powinny również zwracać uwagę na subtelne zmiany w samopoczuciu i nie ignorować ich, ponieważ mogą one wskazywać na rozwijające się powikłania.⁷⁸⁷⁹

Perspektywy dla dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca

Dzięki postępom w diagnostyce i leczeniu, perspektywy dla dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca są obecnie lepsze niż kiedykolwiek wcześniej. Około 95% dzieci urodzonych z wadami serca dożywa obecnie wieku dorosłego, a wielu prowadzi aktywne i pełnowartościowe życie.⁸⁰⁸¹

Konkretne rokowanie zależy od:⁸²⁸³

Rodzaju i złożoności wady serca
Czasu rozpoznania wady i wdrożenia leczenia
Odpowiedzi na leczenie
Rozwoju powikłań
Dostępu do specjalistycznej opieki medycznej dla dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca

Przy odpowiedniej opiece medycznej, wielu dorosłych z wrodzonymi wadami serca może prowadzić zdrowe, aktywne życie, choć mogą wymagać dodatkowych operacji i leczenia. Nowsze procedury pomagają pacjentom żyć dłużej i utrzymać wysoką jakość życia.⁸⁴

Należy podkreślić, że każdy przypadek jest unikalny i wymaga indywidualnego podejścia. W celu uzyskania szczegółowych informacji dotyczących konkretnej wady serca i jej przebiegu, należy skonsultować się z kardiologiem specjalizującym się w leczeniu wrodzonych wad serca u dorosłych.⁸⁵

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Materiały źródłowe

#1 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a term for conditions that affect your hearts structure. These heart defects impact blood flow. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart murmur and arrhythmia. […] Depending on the type of heart disease and its severity, people may not notice any symptoms until they reach adulthood. Other people never notice symptoms at all. And others have these conditions treated as children, only to have symptoms of long-term manifestations as adults. […] The signs and symptoms of ACHD vary depending on: Age, Number of heart defects, Severity of the heart disease, Type of ACHD. Some people with ACHD dont have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Bluish fingernails, lips and skin (cyanosis), Dizziness, Fatigue, including getting tired quickly with activity, Heart murmur, Heart palpitations, Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Swelling (edema) of the ankles, feet or hands.
#2 Congenital heart defects can go unnoticed into adulthood | Norton Children’s Louisville, Ky.
https://nortonchildrens.com/news/undetected-congenital-heart-defect/
People can live into adulthood with no symptoms of a congenital heart defect. Undetected congenital heart defects (CHD) are rare, but some babies can grow into adolescence or early adulthood before noticing any symptoms. For many adults, the first sign of an undetected congenital heart defect is shortness of breath, especially during exercise. Other signs can include heart palpitations, fainting or cyanosis â a bluish color to the lips and nailbeds in light-skinned people. […] Congenital heart disease requires a cardiologist for life due to known cardiovascular conditions that otherwise may not produce significant symptoms until they become serious. […] Examples of congenital heart defects that can go undetected until adulthood include atrial septal defects (ASDs) and long-term effects of unrepaired ventricular septal defects (VSDs) including double-chambered right ventricle, subaortic stenosis, aortic regurgitation, pulmonary hypertension, and Eisenmenger syndrome (pulmonary hypertension plus cyanosis).
#3
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/symptoms/
Congenital heart disease can have a range of symptoms, because the condition refers to several different types of heart defect. […] General signs of congenital heart disease can include: a blue tinge to the skin or lips (cyanosis), rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, swelling in the legs, tummy and around the eyes, shortness of breath in babies during feeding (making it hard for them to gain weight) and in older children and adults during exercise, extreme tiredness and fatigue, fainting during exercise, swelling in the hands, ankles or feet. […] In more severe cases, these problems may develop shortly after birth. However, symptoms sometimes don’t develop until the teenage years or early adulthood.
#4 Congenital Heart Defects | Children’s Hospital Colorado
https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/
As babies who are born with pediatric congenital heart disease grow up to become adolescents and adults, they have what is known as adult congenital heart disease (ACHD). Congenital heart disease is caused by a malformation during development of the heart while a baby is still in the womb. This is different than acquired heart conditions that occur later in life. […] Adults with congenital heart conditions often tell doctors that they suffer from shortness of breath and have an unusual amount of trouble exercising. […] Signs to look for include: Cyanosis, which causes a blue tone to the skin, Fainting, Abnormal swelling in parts of the body, Shortness of breath with activity. […] If you are a newly-diagnosed adult, you may have wondered why you didn’t experience symptoms in childhood. In this case, your underlying defect may not be severe. It can take many years for some heart defects to cause symptoms.
#5 Diagnosing Adult Congenital Heart Disease | NYU Langone Health
https://nyulangone.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/diagnosis
There are an estimated 1 million adults living with congenital heart disease in the United States. […] Symptoms in adults vary, depending on the type of congenital heart defect. They may include heart palpitations, bluish skin, dizziness, fainting, shortness of breath, and exercise intolerance, in which you tire easily while exercising. […] Long-term complications for adults with congenital heart disease can include problems with the aortic valve, mitral valve, pulmonary valve, or tricuspid valve; heart rhythm disorders; heart failure; stroke; aneurysm; and pulmonary hypertension, a serious form of high pressure in the lungs.
#6 Adults With Congenital Heart Disease
http://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/congenital-heart-disease/adults-with-congenital-heart-disease
Congenital heart disease (also called congenital heart defects) occurs when there is a problem with the heart that is present at birth. It can affect the hearts shape, how it works or both. […] Whether youve been living with a congenital heart defect for as long as you can remember, or only recently became aware of your condition, its important to take an active role in your care. People with congenital heart defects face unique challenges, and a greater chance of heart problems down the line. Lifelong care is essential in most cases. […] Some individuals born with mild forms of heart defects may not develop symptoms until adulthood and so dont find out about their condition until later in life. They might learn about their condition by chance. […] If you are not diagnosed until you are an adult, some common signs and symptoms include: low levels of oxygen in the blood, heart palpitations (when your heart feels like its skipping beats), shortness of breath, not being able to exercise the way you used to (called exercise intolerance), tiring very easily, signs of heart failure (such as swelling, waking up short of breath).
#7 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#8 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a term for conditions that affect your hearts structure. These heart defects impact blood flow. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart murmur and arrhythmia. […] Depending on the type of heart disease and its severity, people may not notice any symptoms until they reach adulthood. Other people never notice symptoms at all. And others have these conditions treated as children, only to have symptoms of long-term manifestations as adults. […] The signs and symptoms of ACHD vary depending on: Age, Number of heart defects, Severity of the heart disease, Type of ACHD. Some people with ACHD dont have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Bluish fingernails, lips and skin (cyanosis), Dizziness, Fatigue, including getting tired quickly with activity, Heart murmur, Heart palpitations, Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Swelling (edema) of the ankles, feet or hands.
#9 Congenital Heart Disease for Adults – UChicago Medicine
https://www.uchicagomedicine.org/conditions-services/heart-vascular/congenital-heart-disease
Congenital heart disease (CHD) a heart condition that someone is born with is the most common birth defect in the country. […] As an adult with a congenital heart disease, over your lifetime, your heart can weaken, become damaged or lead to serious comorbidities, such as heart failure, arrhythmias or coronary heart disease. […] Congenital heart disease symptoms are not always apparent or can develop later in live, but for those that do have symptoms, they might experience one or more of the following: Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmia), Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath, A blue or purple tint all over the skin, Swelling (body or organs), Lightheadedness, fainting or dizziness, Less of stamina in daily activities, Leg swelling, Chest pain. […] If you experience one or more of the above symptoms, see your physician for an evaluation. […] If you were born with a congenital heart disease, you have a higher risk of developing other heart disease, such as: Arrhythmias (such as atrial fibrillation, ventricular tachycardia), Endocarditis (an infection in the heart), Stroke, Hypertension, Heart failure.
#10 Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Causes | NewYork-Presbyterian
https://www.nyp.org/heart/congenital-heart-disease/symptoms
Many adults with congenital heart defects have been treated as children, but symptoms can return later in life. For others, signs of a never-treated heart malformation may appear in adulthood. In both cases, common symptoms of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmias) […] Shortness of breath […] Fatigue, tiring easily with exercise […] Heart failure […] Stroke […] High blood pressure in the lung arteries (pulmonary hypertension) […] Blue skin, lips, and fingernails (cyanosis).
#11 Adult Congenital Heart Disease | Henry Ford Health – Detroit, MI
https://www.henryford.com/services/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Congenital heart disease means that you were born with one or more defects in the structure of your heart or related blood vessels. This can change blood flow through the heart and lead to complications, some of which may be life-threatening. […] When there are symptoms of adult congenital heart disease, they may include: Shortness of breath, especially during exercise, Fatigue, Cyanosis, which is a bluish tint to the skin, fingernails and lips caused by poorly oxygenated blood, Arrhythmias, or issues with your hearts natural rhythm, Heart murmur, Edema, or swelling of the bodys organs and tissues. […] When left undiagnosed, some defects can cause life-threatening complications, including heart infections, stroke and heart failure.
#12 Congenital Heart Disease, Red Wing – Mayo Clinic Health System
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/locations/red-wing/services-and-treatments/cardiology/diseases/congenital
Congenital heart disease is one or more problems with the heart’s structure that you’re born with. Congenital heart disease, also called congenital heart defect, can change the way blood flows through your heart. Some congenital heart defects may not cause any problems. Complex defects, however, can cause life-threatening complications. […] Advances in diagnosis and treatment have allowed babies with congenital heart disease to survive well into adulthood. Sometimes signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease aren’t seen until you’re an adult. […] Some congenital heart defects cause no signs or symptoms. For some people, signs or symptoms occur later in life. And symptoms can return years after you’ve been treated for a heart defect. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias; A bluish tint to the skin, lips and fingernails; Shortness of breath; Tiring quickly upon exertion; Swelling of body tissue or organs.
#13 Adult Congenital Heart Disease | Heart and Vascular
https://health.ucdavis.edu/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Mild heart differences may not cause any symptoms. Over time, or if an anomaly is more serious, you may develop symptoms, such as: Blue tone in the nails, lips or skin, Dizziness or passing out, Heart murmur a whooshing noise during heartbeats, Irregular or racing heartbeats (heart palpitations), Persistent fatigue or weakness, Shortness of breath, especially during physical activity. […] Improved diagnosis and treatments are helping people with congenital heart disease live longer and healthier. You may have received treatment as a child. As you age, you may develop further problems with your heart that require additional interventions. […] If you have a congenital heart condition, a healthy lifestyle can protect your heart and slow disease progression. […] Your cardiologist may prescribe medications to help your heart function better. Examples include medications to treat heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias), pulmonary hypertension and heart failure.
#14
https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/heart-vascular/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Sometimes congenital heart defects cause no or very few symptoms. That’s why you may not even know you have a heart condition until you reach adulthood. You may only learn about it when you’re tested for another condition or begin feeling symptoms. Some of the symptoms you might experience can include: […] Irregular heartbeat, which is called arrhythmia […] Shortness of breath […] Tiring quickly when exercising […] Dizziness or fainting, which is also called syncope […] Bluish color to skin, lips and fingernails. […] Even if you feel like you’re in good health, it’s important to schedule regular checkups with your doctor to monitor or provide follow-up care for congenital heart disease.
#15 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#16 Congenital Heart Disease, Red Wing – Mayo Clinic Health System
https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/locations/red-wing/services-and-treatments/cardiology/diseases/congenital
Congenital heart disease is one or more problems with the heart’s structure that you’re born with. Congenital heart disease, also called congenital heart defect, can change the way blood flows through your heart. Some congenital heart defects may not cause any problems. Complex defects, however, can cause life-threatening complications. […] Advances in diagnosis and treatment have allowed babies with congenital heart disease to survive well into adulthood. Sometimes signs and symptoms of congenital heart disease aren’t seen until you’re an adult. […] Some congenital heart defects cause no signs or symptoms. For some people, signs or symptoms occur later in life. And symptoms can return years after you’ve been treated for a heart defect. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Abnormal heart rhythms, or arrhythmias; A bluish tint to the skin, lips and fingernails; Shortness of breath; Tiring quickly upon exertion; Swelling of body tissue or organs.
#17
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/complications/
Children and adults with congenital heart disease are at an increased risk of developing further problems. […] Symptoms of endocarditis can include: a high temperature, chills, loss of appetite, headache, muscle and joint pain, night sweats, shortness of breath, persistent cough. […] Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension can include: shortness of breath, extreme tiredness, dizziness, feeling faint, chest pain, a rapid heartbeat. […] Symptoms of heart failure can include: breathlessness when you’re active or sometimes resting, extreme tiredness and weakness, swelling in the abdomen (tummy), legs, ankles and feet.
#18 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a term for conditions that affect your hearts structure. These heart defects impact blood flow. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart murmur and arrhythmia. […] Depending on the type of heart disease and its severity, people may not notice any symptoms until they reach adulthood. Other people never notice symptoms at all. And others have these conditions treated as children, only to have symptoms of long-term manifestations as adults. […] The signs and symptoms of ACHD vary depending on: Age, Number of heart defects, Severity of the heart disease, Type of ACHD. Some people with ACHD dont have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Bluish fingernails, lips and skin (cyanosis), Dizziness, Fatigue, including getting tired quickly with activity, Heart murmur, Heart palpitations, Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Swelling (edema) of the ankles, feet or hands.
#19
https://www.aurorahealthcare.org/services/heart-vascular/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Sometimes congenital heart defects cause no or very few symptoms. That’s why you may not even know you have a heart condition until you reach adulthood. You may only learn about it when you’re tested for another condition or begin feeling symptoms. Some of the symptoms you might experience can include: […] Irregular heartbeat, which is called arrhythmia […] Shortness of breath […] Tiring quickly when exercising […] Dizziness or fainting, which is also called syncope […] Bluish color to skin, lips and fingernails. […] Even if you feel like you’re in good health, it’s important to schedule regular checkups with your doctor to monitor or provide follow-up care for congenital heart disease.
#20 Congenital Heart Defects in Adults – University of Mississippi Medical Center
https://umc.edu/Healthcare/Heart/Adult%20Congenital%20Heart%20Disease/congenital-heart-defects-in-adults.html
Many heart defects are found very early sometimes even before a child is born. Others, however, are not discovered until an older child or adult begins to have symptoms of a problem. […] Symptoms of heart defects in adults can include: Poor circulation, Dizziness or light-headedness, Swelling of limbs, abdomen, and veins in the neck, Palpitations (irregular heart beat), Heart murmur, Chest pain*, Shortness of breath, rapid breathing*, Fatigue, tiredness*. […] Many people may have no apparent symptoms. Only a physician can diagnose a congenital heart problem, so if you or a loved one does develop symptoms, seeing a doctor is very important.
#21 Congenital Heart Disease | Congenital Heart Defects | MedlinePlus
https://medlineplus.gov/congenitalheartdefects.html
Congenital heart defects can change the way the heart pumps blood. They may make blood flow too slowly, go the wrong way, or block it completely. […] The most serious congenital heart defects are called critical congenital heart disease. Babies with these defects usually need surgery in the first year of life. But the symptoms of milder heart defects may not show up until childhood or adulthood. […] Common signs and symptoms of congenital heart defects include: Cyanosis – a bluish color to the skin, lips, and fingernails. It happens when there isn’t enough oxygen in the blood. Fatigue – your baby may be unusually sleepy and may become very tired during feedings. Poor blood flow. Fast or difficult breathing. Heart murmur – an unusual sound between heartbeats. […] All children and adults who have congenital heart defects need regular follow-up care from a cardiologist (a doctor who specializes in heart diseases) throughout their life, even if their defect was repaired. Some people may need several heart surgeries or catheterizations over the years. They may also need to take medicines to help their hearts work as well as possible.
#22 Congenital Heart Disease – Adult – HonorHealth Heart Care
https://www.honorhealth.com/medical-services/cardiac-care/heart-conditions/congenital-heart-disease
Congenital heart disease involves problems with your heart’s structure present from birth. It is the most common birth defect, affecting about one in every 100 newborns worldwide. […] However, sometimes a congenital heart defect isn’t noticed until you reach your teenage years or even adulthood. […] The most common congenital heart defects in adults include: Atrial septal defect: A hole in the wall between the upper chambers of your heart. […] […] Symptoms of congenital heart disease include: Irregular heartbeat (arrhythmias), Bluish or purplish skin discoloration, Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, Chest pain, Fatigue, Water retention that causes swelling, Heart murmur, Frequent respiratory infections, Fainting or dizziness.
#23 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a term for conditions that affect your hearts structure. These heart defects impact blood flow. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart murmur and arrhythmia. […] Depending on the type of heart disease and its severity, people may not notice any symptoms until they reach adulthood. Other people never notice symptoms at all. And others have these conditions treated as children, only to have symptoms of long-term manifestations as adults. […] The signs and symptoms of ACHD vary depending on: Age, Number of heart defects, Severity of the heart disease, Type of ACHD. Some people with ACHD dont have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Bluish fingernails, lips and skin (cyanosis), Dizziness, Fatigue, including getting tired quickly with activity, Heart murmur, Heart palpitations, Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Swelling (edema) of the ankles, feet or hands.
#24
https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/symptoms/
Congenital heart disease can have a range of symptoms, because the condition refers to several different types of heart defect. […] General signs of congenital heart disease can include: a blue tinge to the skin or lips (cyanosis), rapid breathing, rapid heartbeat, swelling in the legs, tummy and around the eyes, shortness of breath in babies during feeding (making it hard for them to gain weight) and in older children and adults during exercise, extreme tiredness and fatigue, fainting during exercise, swelling in the hands, ankles or feet. […] In more severe cases, these problems may develop shortly after birth. However, symptoms sometimes don’t develop until the teenage years or early adulthood.
#25 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
One million people over the age of 20 suffer from congenital heart disease in the United States. These adult patients can slip through the cracks of our medical system; many are too old to be cared for in most pediatric institutions by pediatric cardiologists and, unfortunately, most adult cardiologists are not trained in congenital heart disease. Therefore, it is important to identify the common lesions in adult congenital heart disease and how they should be managed. Acyanotic congenital heart disease in the adult population primarily involves left-to-right shunts, such as atrial septal defect, patent ductus arteriosus, and obstructive lesions such as aortic coarctation of the aorta. The most common form of cyanotic congenital heart disease in adults is tetralogy of Fallot. Other complex conditions seen in adults include univentricular hearts, Ebstein’s anomaly of the tricuspid valve, and corrected transposition of the great vessels. Most patients with congenital heart disease will need to undergo surgery, catheterization, or catheterization intervention. Results are excellent in the adult population. Long-term follow-up is needed for any adult congenital heart patient receiving care in institutions that are well organized and well equipped, as we learn more about the natural and unnatural history of these conditions.
#26 Adult congenital heart disease – Cardiology Explained – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2212/
Symptoms depend on the size of the defect and the age of the patient. Small VSDs are usually asymptomatic and compatible with a normal life. Large VSDs cause cardiac failure in the second or third month after birth. If a large shunt does not produce symptoms during infancy, there is usually little disturbance until late adolescence or early adult life when the patient develops high pulmonary vascular resistance, breathlessness, fatigue, and cyanosis. There is progression to effort syncope, recurrent hemoptysis, and heart failure. […] Most patients with secundum ASD remain asymptomatic throughout their thirties, but visit their doctor in middle-age with the onset of breathlessness and fatigue. Symptoms are usually progressive and worsened by the development of atrial arrhythmias. […] Patients with mild to moderate pulmonary stenosis usually remain asymptomatic until the onset of atrial flutter/fibrillation or right heart failure, which lead to breathlessness, ascites, peripheral edema, and a visit to the doctor. Fatigue, slight dyspnea, and effort syncope occur with severe narrowing.
#27 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
Adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) is a term for conditions that affect your hearts structure. These heart defects impact blood flow. Symptoms may include fatigue, heart murmur and arrhythmia. […] Depending on the type of heart disease and its severity, people may not notice any symptoms until they reach adulthood. Other people never notice symptoms at all. And others have these conditions treated as children, only to have symptoms of long-term manifestations as adults. […] The signs and symptoms of ACHD vary depending on: Age, Number of heart defects, Severity of the heart disease, Type of ACHD. Some people with ACHD dont have any symptoms. If you do have symptoms, they may include: Bluish fingernails, lips and skin (cyanosis), Dizziness, Fatigue, including getting tired quickly with activity, Heart murmur, Heart palpitations, Irregular heart rhythms (arrhythmia), Shortness of breath (dyspnea), Swelling (edema) of the ankles, feet or hands.
#28 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: What Patients Need to Know | Texas Children’s
https://www.texaschildrens.org/content/wellness/adult-congenital-heart-disease-what-patients-need-know
Congenital heart disease (CHD) is one of the most common birth defects; it can vary drastically in terms of symptoms and prognosis. […] Symptoms of ACHD include shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, skin color changes, heart rhythm issues, and heart murmur. […] Symptoms vary greatly depending on the type, number and severity of heart defects. […] Because CHD is a lifelong disease, follow-up care is essential for patients like Izzy â thatâs why ACHD programs are so important. […] With congenital heart disease, lifelong monitoring is required â itâs never really cured, per se. […] For nearly all children treated for CHD, we anticipate problems occurring later in life. […] If CHD is not detected during childhood, some of the symptoms that may lead to an ACHD diagnosis include: shortness of breath, fatigue, chest pain, skin color changes, heart rhythm issues, and heart murmur. […] Some cases of ACHD are mild and donât require treatment beyond careful and frequent monitoring.
#29 Adults With Congenital Heart Disease
http://www.cardiosmart.org/topics/congenital-heart-disease/adults-with-congenital-heart-disease
People living with congenital heart disease face ongoing challenges. Even if you have been told your heart defect has been fixed or repaired, you can develop other cardiac problems over time including: issues with how your heart beats (arrhythmias), an enlarged heart, leaky or narrowed heart valves, heart failure, heart infections (endocarditis), pulmonary hypertension (when blood flows into the lung, increasing pressure). […] Just because you feel well doesnt mean that you dont need to see a cardiologist with advanced training in congenital heart disease. […] Pregnancy and the changes that occur in a womans body can be the ultimate stress test on the heart.
#30 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Below are commonly encountered problems in patients with adult congenital heart disease: Complications associated with early surgical repair, New defects that were not diagnosed and treated in childhood, Exercise and training issues, Pregnancy issues, Heart rhythm problems (some patients may have such devices as pacemakers and defibrillators), Heart failure, Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), Shortness of breath, Cyanosis (bluish tint to the lips, nails, and skin that can result from insufficient oxygen), Heart murmur, Fatigue, Edema (swelling of body organs or tissue). […] Congenital heart disease also can affect pregnancy. While women may be able to have a successful pregnancy if their problem was mild, those who had complicated defects may not be able to bear children. […] If you experience heart symptoms, talk to a congenital heart specialist.
#31 Adult Congenital Heart Disease Clinic | UCSF Health
https://www.ucsfhealth.org/clinics/adult-congenital-heart-disease-clinic
Thanks to advances in both surgical treatments and medications, more and more children born with heart defects are surviving to adulthood. […] While most adults with congenital heart disease lead full and active lives, you may experience lifelong problems related to your heart defect, including abnormal heart rhythms, heart failure or deterioration of heart repair done in childhood. […] For adults with congenital heart disease, at least one visit at a center focused on the disease is recommended. […] For others, treatment ranges from medication to surgery, including heart and lung transplants.
#32 Congenital Heart Disease: Types, Symptoms, Causes, and TreatmentHealthline
https://www.healthline.com/health/congenital-heart-disease
Congenital heart disease in adults can present symptoms such as shortness of breath, chest pain, a reduced ability to exercise, and being easily fatigued. […] The treatment for congenital heart disease in adults can also vary depending on the severity of the heart defect. Some people may only need to monitor their condition closely, and others may require medications and surgeries. […] In some cases, defects that may have been treated in childhood can present problems again in adulthood. The original repair may no longer be effective or the initial defect may have become worse over time. […] Regardless of your situation, itâs important to continue seeing your doctor for follow-up care. Treatment may not cure your condition, but it can help you maintain an active, productive life. It will also reduce your risk for serious complications, such as heart infections, heart failure, and stroke.
#33 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
If you are an adult with congenital heart diseasea problem with the hearts structure or function that is present at birthyour chances for an active, healthy life are better than ever. […] But while childhood surgeries and other treatments are making a significant difference, they dont cure adult congenital heart disease. Even when adult survivors have been treated and feel healthy, new issues can surface, so its important to continue care throughout life. […] Those who dont receive ongoing, uninterrupted care for this type of heart condition are at increased risk for developing a complication and needing an urgent intervention, such as heart catheterization or surgery. […] When we are monitoring a patient regularly and are aware of symptoms as early as possible, we often can address problems before they even start or at least limit complications, Dr. Elder says.
#34 Congenital Heart Disease | Symptoms & Treatments | Rush
https://www.rush.edu/services/congenital-heart-disease-services
Most congenital heart diseases are found when patients are still children or at birth. […] Because care for these issues has improved over time, more children with heart defects grow to adulthood. That also means that many patients who grow up with these diseases often need more treatment later in life. […] There are also cases where congenital heart diseases are not discovered until patients reach adulthood, especially if they are less severe. […] Some of the symptoms and complications that can come from congenital heart disease include the following: Shortness of breath, Feeling fatigued easily during physical activity, Swelling in the legs, Fluid buildup in the abdomen, Chest pain, Heart failure, Syncope, or fainting, Collapse. […] Rarely, these heart defects can lead to sudden cardiac arrest, which can be deadly. In these patients, sudden fainting or collapse may be the first time theyve shown symptoms of their congenital heart disease.
#35 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
The most common presenting symptoms in adults are shortness of breath, easy fatigability, palpitations, and dyspnea. Twelve percent of affected adults experience preoperative atrial fibrillation. […] All ASDs with significant left to right shunting should be closed. […] The results from surgery are excellent with an operative mortality of less than 2%, even in adults over 60 years of age. However, despite low operative mortality and morbidity, there are late concerns in the follow-up of ASD patients. […] Closing the ASD does not eliminate atrial arrhythmias. In fact, the right atriotomy may need to be modified to prevent reentrant tachycardia. Postoperative atrial fibrillation may occur in as many as 23% of patients. […] Patients with VSD present with a volume-loaded left heart with progressive enlargement of the left atrium and the left ventricle.
#36 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
Adult patients will show a dilated left atrium and left ventricle with increased vascularity and may have left ventricular hypertrophy on their ECG. […] In adults, coarctation of the aorta almost always presents with systolic hypertension and 50% of the time with a heart murmur. […] The approach to coarctation has been surgical, with excellent results obtained in adults. […] In a long-term study of 69 patients, there was no operative mortality in correcting coarctation in adults. However, there was a 22% late mortality in patients followed almost 30 years. […] The approach to Tetralogy of Fallot is surgical with relief of the right ventricular tract obstruction and closure of the VSD. In most centers today, operative mortality in adults is less than 2%. […] Most patients with Ebstein’s anomaly will eventually require surgery, usually in early adulthood or childhood. Patients with Ebstein’s need a lifetime of vigilance because of a late incidence of sudden death.
#37 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
The most common presenting symptoms in adults are shortness of breath, easy fatigability, palpitations, and dyspnea. Twelve percent of affected adults experience preoperative atrial fibrillation. […] All ASDs with significant left to right shunting should be closed. […] The results from surgery are excellent with an operative mortality of less than 2%, even in adults over 60 years of age. However, despite low operative mortality and morbidity, there are late concerns in the follow-up of ASD patients. […] Closing the ASD does not eliminate atrial arrhythmias. In fact, the right atriotomy may need to be modified to prevent reentrant tachycardia. Postoperative atrial fibrillation may occur in as many as 23% of patients. […] Patients with VSD present with a volume-loaded left heart with progressive enlargement of the left atrium and the left ventricle.
#38 Adult congenital heart disease – Cardiology Explained – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2212/
Symptoms depend on the size of the defect and the age of the patient. Small VSDs are usually asymptomatic and compatible with a normal life. Large VSDs cause cardiac failure in the second or third month after birth. If a large shunt does not produce symptoms during infancy, there is usually little disturbance until late adolescence or early adult life when the patient develops high pulmonary vascular resistance, breathlessness, fatigue, and cyanosis. There is progression to effort syncope, recurrent hemoptysis, and heart failure. […] Most patients with secundum ASD remain asymptomatic throughout their thirties, but visit their doctor in middle-age with the onset of breathlessness and fatigue. Symptoms are usually progressive and worsened by the development of atrial arrhythmias. […] Patients with mild to moderate pulmonary stenosis usually remain asymptomatic until the onset of atrial flutter/fibrillation or right heart failure, which lead to breathlessness, ascites, peripheral edema, and a visit to the doctor. Fatigue, slight dyspnea, and effort syncope occur with severe narrowing.
#39 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
The most common presenting symptoms in adults are shortness of breath, easy fatigability, palpitations, and dyspnea. Twelve percent of affected adults experience preoperative atrial fibrillation. […] All ASDs with significant left to right shunting should be closed. […] The results from surgery are excellent with an operative mortality of less than 2%, even in adults over 60 years of age. However, despite low operative mortality and morbidity, there are late concerns in the follow-up of ASD patients. […] Closing the ASD does not eliminate atrial arrhythmias. In fact, the right atriotomy may need to be modified to prevent reentrant tachycardia. Postoperative atrial fibrillation may occur in as many as 23% of patients. […] Patients with VSD present with a volume-loaded left heart with progressive enlargement of the left atrium and the left ventricle.
#40 Adult congenital heart disease – Cardiology Explained – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2212/
Symptoms depend on the size of the defect and the age of the patient. Small VSDs are usually asymptomatic and compatible with a normal life. Large VSDs cause cardiac failure in the second or third month after birth. If a large shunt does not produce symptoms during infancy, there is usually little disturbance until late adolescence or early adult life when the patient develops high pulmonary vascular resistance, breathlessness, fatigue, and cyanosis. There is progression to effort syncope, recurrent hemoptysis, and heart failure. […] Most patients with secundum ASD remain asymptomatic throughout their thirties, but visit their doctor in middle-age with the onset of breathlessness and fatigue. Symptoms are usually progressive and worsened by the development of atrial arrhythmias. […] Patients with mild to moderate pulmonary stenosis usually remain asymptomatic until the onset of atrial flutter/fibrillation or right heart failure, which lead to breathlessness, ascites, peripheral edema, and a visit to the doctor. Fatigue, slight dyspnea, and effort syncope occur with severe narrowing.
#41 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
Adult patients will show a dilated left atrium and left ventricle with increased vascularity and may have left ventricular hypertrophy on their ECG. […] In adults, coarctation of the aorta almost always presents with systolic hypertension and 50% of the time with a heart murmur. […] The approach to coarctation has been surgical, with excellent results obtained in adults. […] In a long-term study of 69 patients, there was no operative mortality in correcting coarctation in adults. However, there was a 22% late mortality in patients followed almost 30 years. […] The approach to Tetralogy of Fallot is surgical with relief of the right ventricular tract obstruction and closure of the VSD. In most centers today, operative mortality in adults is less than 2%. […] Most patients with Ebstein’s anomaly will eventually require surgery, usually in early adulthood or childhood. Patients with Ebstein’s need a lifetime of vigilance because of a late incidence of sudden death.
#42 Types of Adult Congenital Heart Disease | NYU Langone Health
https://nyulangone.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/types
In adults, it is commonly associated with hypertension, or high blood pressure, and decreased blood flow to the lower extremities, causing leg cramps. […] The backup of blood flow can cause the heart to enlarge, leading to heart failure. […] Adults with the Fontan circulation can develop heart rhythm disorders, blood clots, heart failure, or liver disease.
#43 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
Adult patients will show a dilated left atrium and left ventricle with increased vascularity and may have left ventricular hypertrophy on their ECG. […] In adults, coarctation of the aorta almost always presents with systolic hypertension and 50% of the time with a heart murmur. […] The approach to coarctation has been surgical, with excellent results obtained in adults. […] In a long-term study of 69 patients, there was no operative mortality in correcting coarctation in adults. However, there was a 22% late mortality in patients followed almost 30 years. […] The approach to Tetralogy of Fallot is surgical with relief of the right ventricular tract obstruction and closure of the VSD. In most centers today, operative mortality in adults is less than 2%. […] Most patients with Ebstein’s anomaly will eventually require surgery, usually in early adulthood or childhood. Patients with Ebstein’s need a lifetime of vigilance because of a late incidence of sudden death.
#44 Adult congenital heart disease – Cardiology Explained – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2212/
Patients with bigger shunts develop cardiac failure at an age that depends on the severity of the lesion. Eisenmenger syndrome can occur with PDA. […] The chief symptom is cyanosis on exercise. Children typically „squat” for relief of dyspnea after exercise. Chest pain, arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure are more common in adults than in children. […] Ebstein’s anomaly is the downward displacement of a portion of the tricuspid valve with atrialization of a large part of the RV. There is often an associated ostium secundum ASD. The atrialized portion of the ventricle hinders rather than helps the forward flow of blood and there is tricuspid regurgitation. Occasionally Ebstein’s anomaly is asymptomatic, but it generally presents in childhood or early adulthood with dyspnea, fatigue, signs of tricuspid regurgitation, and right-sided cardiac failure.
#45 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
Adult patients will show a dilated left atrium and left ventricle with increased vascularity and may have left ventricular hypertrophy on their ECG. […] In adults, coarctation of the aorta almost always presents with systolic hypertension and 50% of the time with a heart murmur. […] The approach to coarctation has been surgical, with excellent results obtained in adults. […] In a long-term study of 69 patients, there was no operative mortality in correcting coarctation in adults. However, there was a 22% late mortality in patients followed almost 30 years. […] The approach to Tetralogy of Fallot is surgical with relief of the right ventricular tract obstruction and closure of the VSD. In most centers today, operative mortality in adults is less than 2%. […] Most patients with Ebstein’s anomaly will eventually require surgery, usually in early adulthood or childhood. Patients with Ebstein’s need a lifetime of vigilance because of a late incidence of sudden death.
#46 Adult congenital heart disease – Cardiology Explained – NCBI Bookshelf
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK2212/
Patients with bigger shunts develop cardiac failure at an age that depends on the severity of the lesion. Eisenmenger syndrome can occur with PDA. […] The chief symptom is cyanosis on exercise. Children typically „squat” for relief of dyspnea after exercise. Chest pain, arrhythmia, and congestive heart failure are more common in adults than in children. […] Ebstein’s anomaly is the downward displacement of a portion of the tricuspid valve with atrialization of a large part of the RV. There is often an associated ostium secundum ASD. The atrialized portion of the ventricle hinders rather than helps the forward flow of blood and there is tricuspid regurgitation. Occasionally Ebstein’s anomaly is asymptomatic, but it generally presents in childhood or early adulthood with dyspnea, fatigue, signs of tricuspid regurgitation, and right-sided cardiac failure.
#47 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#48 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
ACHD may lead to complications, including: Arrhythmia, Endocarditis, Heart failure (congestive heart failure), Pulmonary hypertension, Stroke. The risk of complications is higher if your congenital heart disease was not repaired or treated during childhood. […] If you have ACHD, your outlook depends on the type of congenital heart disease, its severity and the treatment.
#49 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#50 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. […] Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#51 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#52 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. […] Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#53 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#54 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. […] Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#55 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#56 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. […] Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#57 Congenital heart disease in adults – Symptoms and causes – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/symptoms-causes/syc-20355456
Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#58 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Complications of congenital heart disease may occur years after the heart condition is treated. […] Complications of congenital heart disease in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Scar tissue in the heart from surgeries to fix a congenital heart condition can lead to changes in heart signaling. The changes can cause the heart to beat too fast, too slow or irregularly. Some irregular heartbeats may cause stroke or sudden cardiac death if not treated. Infection of the lining of the heart and heart valves, called endocarditis. Untreated, this infection can damage or destroy the heart valves or cause a stroke. Antibiotics may be recommended before dental care to prevent this infection. Regular dental checkups are important. Healthy gums and teeth reduce the risk of endocarditis. Stroke. Congenital heart disease can let a blood clot pass through the heart and travel to the brain, causing a stroke. High blood pressure in the lung arteries, called pulmonary hypertension. Some heart conditions present at birth send more blood to the lungs, causing pressure to build. This eventually causes the heart muscle to weaken and sometimes to fail. Heart failure. The heart can’t pump enough blood to meet the body’s needs.
#59 Types of Adult Congenital Heart Disease | NYU Langone Health
https://nyulangone.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/types
Most people with congenital heart disease are diagnosed and treated in infancy, though some congenital defects are not detected until adulthood. […] Symptoms of atrial septal defect include exercise intolerance meaning you tire easily while exercising and arrhythmias, which are irregular heart rhythms that may feel like heart palpitations or fast heartbeats. […] Atrial septal defects can lead to heart failure, when the heart doesn’t pump enough blood to the body, or a defect can cause a clot to pass through the hole, leading to a stroke. […] Rarely, untreated atrial septal defects can lead to pulmonary hypertension, which is elevated blood pressures in the lungs, and Eisenmenger syndrome. […] In many people born with a ventricular septal defect, the hole closes on its own during childhood.
#60 Types of Adult Congenital Heart Disease | NYU Langone Health
https://nyulangone.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/types
If the hole is large, people may experience symptoms, including shortness of breath and rapid heart rates. […] Over time, this heart defect can cause the left side of the heart to enlarge. […] In some adults, large ventricular septal defects can cause a reversal of blood flow that bypasses the lungs, leading to Eisenmenger syndrome. […] Pulmonary stenosis is a narrowing of the pulmonary valve, or an area near the pulmonary valve, that prevents blood from flowing to the lungs. This condition is associated with arrhythmias and heart failure. […] Symptoms can include dizziness, irregular or fast heartbeats, fainting, or exercise intolerance. […] Though some people don’t experience symptoms, others have shortness of breath, heart palpitations, and exercise intolerance. […] Left open, a large patent ductus arteriosus may lead to heart failure, pulmonary hypertension, or Eisenmenger syndrome.
#61 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Below are commonly encountered problems in patients with adult congenital heart disease: Complications associated with early surgical repair, New defects that were not diagnosed and treated in childhood, Exercise and training issues, Pregnancy issues, Heart rhythm problems (some patients may have such devices as pacemakers and defibrillators), Heart failure, Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), Shortness of breath, Cyanosis (bluish tint to the lips, nails, and skin that can result from insufficient oxygen), Heart murmur, Fatigue, Edema (swelling of body organs or tissue). […] Congenital heart disease also can affect pregnancy. While women may be able to have a successful pregnancy if their problem was mild, those who had complicated defects may not be able to bear children. […] If you experience heart symptoms, talk to a congenital heart specialist.
#62 Congenital Heart Disease | Symptoms & Treatments | Rush
https://www.rush.edu/services/congenital-heart-disease-services
Atrial septal defect is a common congenital heart disease in adult patients. In about 90% of cases, these defects can be closed with minimally invasive atrial septal defect closure procedures. […] Many patients who had corrective treatment for congenital heart conditions as children will need care later in life, like those who have had surgery for pulmonary valve problems or trilogy of Fallot. […] These patients need close monitoring throughout their lives. Over time, their valves may leak and start to affect the heart, causing symptoms. […] When these diseases are not found at a young age, they generally start causing symptoms for adults at about age 20 to 30. The first symptoms are usually heart palpitations or shortness of breath. An echocardiogram can lead to a diagnosis for these adult patients.
#63 Adult Congenital Heart Disease
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3400517/
Adult congenital heart disease can fall through the cracks of our medical system as these patients should receive their care is problematic. Many pediatric cardiologists in children’s hospitals do not see patients over the age of 18, while many adult cardiology programs do not provide adequate training in the diagnosis and management of adult congenital heart disease. It is difficult for adults to obtain care in the settings where most pediatric cardiologists practice, namely children’s hospitals. The special needs of adult congenital heart patients are also not well addressed by adult institutions, which are dominated by acquired heart disease, particularly coronary artery disease. It is important to have a good understanding of the congenital defects that present in adulthood and how to diagnose, treat, and follow these patients appropriately as adults.
#64 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Below are commonly encountered problems in patients with adult congenital heart disease: Complications associated with early surgical repair, New defects that were not diagnosed and treated in childhood, Exercise and training issues, Pregnancy issues, Heart rhythm problems (some patients may have such devices as pacemakers and defibrillators), Heart failure, Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), Shortness of breath, Cyanosis (bluish tint to the lips, nails, and skin that can result from insufficient oxygen), Heart murmur, Fatigue, Edema (swelling of body organs or tissue). […] Congenital heart disease also can affect pregnancy. While women may be able to have a successful pregnancy if their problem was mild, those who had complicated defects may not be able to bear children. […] If you experience heart symptoms, talk to a congenital heart specialist.
#65 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Below are commonly encountered problems in patients with adult congenital heart disease: Complications associated with early surgical repair, New defects that were not diagnosed and treated in childhood, Exercise and training issues, Pregnancy issues, Heart rhythm problems (some patients may have such devices as pacemakers and defibrillators), Heart failure, Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), Shortness of breath, Cyanosis (bluish tint to the lips, nails, and skin that can result from insufficient oxygen), Heart murmur, Fatigue, Edema (swelling of body organs or tissue). […] Congenital heart disease also can affect pregnancy. While women may be able to have a successful pregnancy if their problem was mild, those who had complicated defects may not be able to bear children. […] If you experience heart symptoms, talk to a congenital heart specialist.
#66 Adult Congenital Heart Disease > Fact Sheets > Yale Medicine
https://www.yalemedicine.org/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
Below are commonly encountered problems in patients with adult congenital heart disease: Complications associated with early surgical repair, New defects that were not diagnosed and treated in childhood, Exercise and training issues, Pregnancy issues, Heart rhythm problems (some patients may have such devices as pacemakers and defibrillators), Heart failure, Arrhythmias (abnormal heart rhythm), Shortness of breath, Cyanosis (bluish tint to the lips, nails, and skin that can result from insufficient oxygen), Heart murmur, Fatigue, Edema (swelling of body organs or tissue). […] Congenital heart disease also can affect pregnancy. While women may be able to have a successful pregnancy if their problem was mild, those who had complicated defects may not be able to bear children. […] If you experience heart symptoms, talk to a congenital heart specialist.
#67 Adult Congenital Heart Disease | Heart and Vascular
https://health.ucdavis.edu/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease
About 40% of adults with congenital heart disease develop some electrical issues of the heart. […] If you have adult congenital heart disease, pregnancy poses additional risks to you and your baby. Whether you can have a successful pregnancy depends on your heart function, medications, overall health and past treatments.
#68
https://mgriblog.org/2018/02/09/congenital-heart-defect-symptoms/
Surveys Show How Symptoms and Their Impacts Differ Among Adults with a Congenital Heart Defect […] When it comes to treating the symptoms of patients with a congenital heart defect, researchers from Massachusetts General Hospital are finding that a one-size-fits-all approach wont meet all patients needs. […] Complications associated with CHD include abnormal heart rhythms (arrhythmias), heart infection, stroke, and heart failure. […] With new treatments and increased survivorship, the number of adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD) has grown significantly over the last 20 years. […] However, despite this rise in population, there is still little data available about which symptoms most impact patients lives and thus are the most important to manage. […] Researchers divided responses into seven groups depending on the severity of the patients disease. Six symptoms were identified as being the most troublesome, regardless of disease severity:
#69
https://mgriblog.org/2018/02/09/congenital-heart-defect-symptoms/
Shortness of breath (windedness, trouble breathing) […] Feeling different than other people […] Having to go to the hospital or emergency room […] Feeling mentally slower than other people […] Concerns with sexual function […] Bluish or dusky colored skin. […] The Mass General confirmatory group revealed similar results to the larger group with only five of the 39 symptoms differing from the initial group. […] The Mass General ACHD Program has already incorporated the findings into their ACHD Health and Wellness Program, run out of the MGH West Facility where physicians and nurses work with patients to address their lives in a holistic manner. […] The research team plans to expand their investigation in the future with focus groups and cognitive testing.
#70
https://www.singhealth.com.sg/patient-care/conditions-treatments/adult-congenital-heart-disease-achd
Some patients do not show signs or symptoms of congenital heart disease until adulthood. These symptoms include: Fatigue, Abnormal heart rhythm (arrhythmia), Breathlessness, Swelling of organs and body tissues, Blueness in the fingernails, skin and lips. […] The timely establishment of adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) (also known as congenital heart disease in adults) as a subspecialty of cardiology will help people living with ACHD to improve their quality of life. […] Having survived into adulthood, ACHD patients are now facing a new set of challenges encompassing not only medical or surgical problems but extending to psychological, vocational and lifestyle issues.
#71 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Treatment of congenital heart disease in adults depends on the specific type of heart condition and how severe it is. If the heart condition is mild, regular health checkups may be the only treatment needed. […] Some mild types of congenital heart disease in adults can be treated with medicines that help the heart work better. Medicines also may be given to prevent blood clots or to control an irregular heartbeat. […] Adults with congenital heart disease are at risk of developing complications even if surgery was done to repair a defect during childhood. Lifelong follow-up care is important. Ideally, a doctor trained in treating adults with congenital heart disease should manage your care. This type of doctor is called a congenital cardiologist. […] Follow-up care may include blood and imaging tests to check for complications. How often you need health checkups depends on whether your congenital heart disease is mild or complex.
#72 Congenital heart disease in adults – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355461
To diagnose congenital heart disease in adults, your healthcare professional examines you and listens to your heart with a stethoscope. You are usually asked questions about your symptoms and medical and family history. […] Treatment of congenital heart disease in adults depends on the specific type of heart condition and how severe it is. If the heart condition is mild, regular health checkups may be the only treatment needed. […] Adults with congenital heart disease are at risk of developing complications even if surgery was done to repair a defect during childhood. Lifelong follow-up care is important. Ideally, a doctor trained in treating adults with congenital heart disease should manage your care. This type of doctor is called a congenital cardiologist. […] Some mild types of congenital heart disease in adults can be treated with medicines that help the heart work better. Medicines also may be given to prevent blood clots or to control an irregular heartbeat. […] If you have congenital heart disease, lifestyle changes may be recommended to keep the heart healthy and prevent complications.
#73 Congenital heart disease in adults – Diagnosis and treatment – Mayo Clinic
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20355461
To diagnose congenital heart disease in adults, your healthcare professional examines you and listens to your heart with a stethoscope. You are usually asked questions about your symptoms and medical and family history. […] Treatment of congenital heart disease in adults depends on the specific type of heart condition and how severe it is. If the heart condition is mild, regular health checkups may be the only treatment needed. […] Adults with congenital heart disease are at risk of developing complications even if surgery was done to repair a defect during childhood. Lifelong follow-up care is important. Ideally, a doctor trained in treating adults with congenital heart disease should manage your care. This type of doctor is called a congenital cardiologist. […] Some mild types of congenital heart disease in adults can be treated with medicines that help the heart work better. Medicines also may be given to prevent blood clots or to control an irregular heartbeat. […] If you have congenital heart disease, lifestyle changes may be recommended to keep the heart healthy and prevent complications.
#74 Congenital heart conditions | NHS inform
https://www.nhsinform.scot/illnesses-and-conditions/cardiovascular-disease/heart-disease/congenital-heart-disease/
Congenital heart disease in adults is sometimes known as grown-up congenital heart disease (GUCH) or Adult Congenital Heart Disease (ACHD). […] About 80% of children with congenital heart disease will survive into adulthood. Living as an adult with congenital heart disease involves a new set of challenges. Some adults will require specialised care. […] Routine medical procedures, such as giving birth or having a general anaesthetic, will need to be closely supervised by specialist staff with experience in treating adults with congenital heart disease. There is also the risk that previous heart surgery, such as the insertion of a replacement valve, will fail and that further surgery will be required. […] Due to these factors, its recommended that older teenagers register with a specialised adult congenital heart disease clinic. The clinic will be able to provide regular check-ups and assessments, liaise with other specialised medical services as required, and provide on-going support and advice.
#75 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
Treatment of congenital heart disease in adults depends on the specific type of heart condition and how severe it is. If the heart condition is mild, regular health checkups may be the only treatment needed. […] Some mild types of congenital heart disease in adults can be treated with medicines that help the heart work better. Medicines also may be given to prevent blood clots or to control an irregular heartbeat. […] Adults with congenital heart disease are at risk of developing complications even if surgery was done to repair a defect during childhood. Lifelong follow-up care is important. Ideally, a doctor trained in treating adults with congenital heart disease should manage your care. This type of doctor is called a congenital cardiologist. […] Follow-up care may include blood and imaging tests to check for complications. How often you need health checkups depends on whether your congenital heart disease is mild or complex.
#76 Congenital heart disease in adults | Beacon Health System
https://www.beaconhealthsystem.org/library/diseases-and-conditions/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults?content_id=CON-20248753
A heart problem present at birth may not cause symptoms until adulthood. Learn how adult congenital heart disease is treated and what complications may occur. […] Some people born with a heart problem don’t notice symptoms until later in life. Symptoms also may return years after a congenital heart defect is treated. […] Common congenital heart disease symptoms in adults include: Irregular heartbeats, called arrhythmias. Blue or gray skin, lips and fingernails due to low oxygen levels. Depending on the skin color, these changes may be harder or easier to see. Shortness of breath. Feeling tired very quickly with activity. Swelling due to fluid collecting inside body tissues, called edema. […] Get emergency medical help if you have unexplained chest pain or shortness of breath. […] Make an appointment for a health checkup if: You have symptoms of adult congenital heart disease. You received treatment for a congenital heart defect as a child.
#77 Congenital heart disease: What to watch for | Heart and Stroke Foundation
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart-disease/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/what-to-watch-for
General symptoms include increasing tiredness or weakness, decreased appetite or eating less, a stomach that has been feeling uncomfortably fuller and bigger over time, significant weight gain or weight loss over a short period of time, severe nausea or vomiting, change in bowel patterns (diarrhea, constipation), anxiety or restlessness, palpitations or pounding in the chest that may indicate an abnormal heart beat, and bulging neck vessels. […] Changes in your heart health can either be subtle or obvious. For example, you might feel more tired over time without noticing, or it can happen suddenly. […] Its important that you dont ignore subtle changes in the way you feel and how your body reacts to stress and stimuli. […] If you experience any of the following symptoms, dont wait. Call 9-1-1 or your local hospital emergency department if you develop difficulty breathing (panting, gasping, or wheezing), seizures, persistent dizziness, irregular or rapid heartbeats (palpitations), fainting, chest pain, lack of urine (which may be a sign of dehydration, poor heart function or poor kidney function), symptoms of a stroke (numbness, weakness, speech difficulty, lack of coordination), uncontrolled bleeding (like a bleeding nose that you cant stop on your own), ongoing heartburn or shoulder pain, or changed level of alertness confusion, extreme weakness or unresponsiveness.
#78 Congenital heart disease: What to watch for | Heart and Stroke Foundation
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart-disease/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/what-to-watch-for
General symptoms include increasing tiredness or weakness, decreased appetite or eating less, a stomach that has been feeling uncomfortably fuller and bigger over time, significant weight gain or weight loss over a short period of time, severe nausea or vomiting, change in bowel patterns (diarrhea, constipation), anxiety or restlessness, palpitations or pounding in the chest that may indicate an abnormal heart beat, and bulging neck vessels. […] Changes in your heart health can either be subtle or obvious. For example, you might feel more tired over time without noticing, or it can happen suddenly. […] Its important that you dont ignore subtle changes in the way you feel and how your body reacts to stress and stimuli. […] If you experience any of the following symptoms, dont wait. Call 9-1-1 or your local hospital emergency department if you develop difficulty breathing (panting, gasping, or wheezing), seizures, persistent dizziness, irregular or rapid heartbeats (palpitations), fainting, chest pain, lack of urine (which may be a sign of dehydration, poor heart function or poor kidney function), symptoms of a stroke (numbness, weakness, speech difficulty, lack of coordination), uncontrolled bleeding (like a bleeding nose that you cant stop on your own), ongoing heartburn or shoulder pain, or changed level of alertness confusion, extreme weakness or unresponsiveness.
#79 Congenital heart disease: What to watch for | Heart and Stroke Foundation
https://www.heartandstroke.ca/heart-disease/conditions/congenital-heart-disease/what-to-watch-for
Living with congenital heart disease (CHD) may mean regular visits to the doctor throughout your life. Your health care might include visits to a cardiologist, cardiology treatments, repeat surgeries or other interventions. It depends on the type of heart defect you have and how complex it is. […] For some, symptoms of their CHD might not appear until adulthood. Understanding what to watch for will help you better manage your CHD, be aware of potential complications and take steps to protect your health. […] The more familiar you are with how your body feels when it is well, the easier it will be to notice when something is off. […] It is important to know that not all the symptoms listed below mean that you are having problems with your heart, but if they persist contact your cardiologist and primary healthcare provider.
#80 Congenital heart disease â¢ Heart Research Institute
https://www.hri.org.au/health/learn/cardiovascular-disease/congenital-heart-disease
Even if the heart defect has been repaired, people living with CHD are not cured. They are likely to require regular check-ups to monitor their heart and overall health throughout their life, as they can develop other health problems over time due to their CHD. […] The life span of someone born with a CHD depends on the specific CHD. Medical research has advanced heart operations and treatment such that 95 per cent of children born with CHD will now survive into adulthood, whereas in the past being born with CHD meant the baby was likely to die soon after birth or in childhood. […] Even if the CHD has been treated or repaired, people living with CHD may be left with symptoms and a shortened life span. […] Further research is required to improve the quality of life and life span of adults living with CHD.
#81 Congenital Heart Disease in Adults: Types, Symptoms, and TreatmentHealthline
https://www.healthline.com/health/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults
If youâve never received a diagnosis of congenital heart disease, itâs important to get a prompt medical evaluation of any new symptoms. Chest pain and shortness of breath are especially concerning. […] If you have a known congenital heart defect, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have new symptoms or worsening existing symptoms. […] Managing adult congenital heart disease involves regular monitoring and testing by a cardiologist. If your condition is more serious, you might need medications and multiple procedures. […] The outlook for any individual with congenital heart disease depends on the type and severity of the condition and when and how they received treatment for it. […] If you receive proper treatment for congenital heart disease, you can live a healthy, active life. You might need ongoing surgeries and treatment, but newer procedures are helping people live longer and maintain a high quality of life.
#82 Adult Congenital Heart Disease: Symptoms & Treatment
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16891-heart-disease-adult-congenital-heart-disease
ACHD may lead to complications, including: Arrhythmia, Endocarditis, Heart failure (congestive heart failure), Pulmonary hypertension, Stroke. The risk of complications is higher if your congenital heart disease was not repaired or treated during childhood. […] If you have ACHD, your outlook depends on the type of congenital heart disease, its severity and the treatment.
#83 Congenital Heart Disease in Adults: Types, Symptoms, and TreatmentHealthline
https://www.healthline.com/health/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults
If youâve never received a diagnosis of congenital heart disease, itâs important to get a prompt medical evaluation of any new symptoms. Chest pain and shortness of breath are especially concerning. […] If you have a known congenital heart defect, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have new symptoms or worsening existing symptoms. […] Managing adult congenital heart disease involves regular monitoring and testing by a cardiologist. If your condition is more serious, you might need medications and multiple procedures. […] The outlook for any individual with congenital heart disease depends on the type and severity of the condition and when and how they received treatment for it. […] If you receive proper treatment for congenital heart disease, you can live a healthy, active life. You might need ongoing surgeries and treatment, but newer procedures are helping people live longer and maintain a high quality of life.
#84 Congenital Heart Disease in Adults: Types, Symptoms, and TreatmentHealthline
https://www.healthline.com/health/congenital-heart-disease-in-adults
If youâve never received a diagnosis of congenital heart disease, itâs important to get a prompt medical evaluation of any new symptoms. Chest pain and shortness of breath are especially concerning. […] If you have a known congenital heart defect, you should contact your doctor as soon as possible if you have new symptoms or worsening existing symptoms. […] Managing adult congenital heart disease involves regular monitoring and testing by a cardiologist. If your condition is more serious, you might need medications and multiple procedures. […] The outlook for any individual with congenital heart disease depends on the type and severity of the condition and when and how they received treatment for it. […] If you receive proper treatment for congenital heart disease, you can live a healthy, active life. You might need ongoing surgeries and treatment, but newer procedures are helping people live longer and maintain a high quality of life.
#85 Congenital Heart Defects | Children’s Hospital Colorado
https://www.childrenscolorado.org/conditions-and-advice/conditions-and-symptoms/conditions/adult-congenital-heart-disease/
Depending on the services needed, your care may take place at either Children’s Colorado or University of Colorado Hospital. We also help young patients make the transition into adult care and we help women with congenital heart defects manage their pregnancies. […] Some congenital heart defects only require monitoring. Others may require a heart catheterization procedure and, in some cases, heart surgery. […] Every case is different, and your cardiologist will provide you with personalized treatment and lifestyle recommendations.